The
Alstom
works
in
Derby

is
in
line
for
an
order
of
up
to
90
cars
for
the
Elizabeth
Line,
according
to
reports.
Such
an
order
for
more
Aventra
vehicles
would
not
be
a
new
contract,
because
an
option
for
enlarging
the
TfL
fleet
already
exists.
Meanwhile,
the
RMT
is
calling
for
an
urgent
summit
to
discuss
the
threat
to
the
Derby
works,
where
closure
would
mean
the
loss
of
thousands
of
jobs.

Some
reports
today
claim
that
the
deal
has
already
been
done,
while
others
say
only
that
Alstom
is
in
‘intense
discussions’
with
the
Department
for
Transport
and
Transport
for
London,
and
that
no
contracts
have
yet
been
signed
but
could
be
concluded
next
month.

Last
night
transport
secretary
Mark
Harper
used
social
media
site
X
to
report
‘a
good,
constructive
meeting
with
Alstom
Group
CEO
Henri
Poupart-Lafarge
on
the
future
of
train
manufacturing
in
the
UK’.
while
Alstom
posted
that
it
was
‘now
in
a
period
of
intense
discussions
with
the
UK
Government
and
Transport
for
London
about
a
potential
train
order
for
the
Elizabeth
Line,
given
the
levels
of
passenger
demand.
This
could
help
secure
the
future
of
our
Derby
Litchurch
Lane
site.’ 

Alstom
had
already
taken
the
first
steps
toward
shedding
1300
jobs
at
Litchchurch
Lane
alone,
and
as
the
uncertainty
continued,
the
RMT
called
for
an
‘urgent
summit’
of
unions,
the
rail
industry
and
the
government
to
thrash
out
a
plan
to
save
Alstom
in
Derby,
including
the
option
of
nationalisation.

RMT
general
secretary
Mick
Lynch
said
it
was
‘tragic’
that
passengers
and
the
climate
were
in
desperate
need
of
modern
and
reliable
trains
and
skilled
workers
and
capacity
were
ready
to
deliver
that,
but
the
government
and
rail
industry
had
not
been
able
to
match
up
the
demand
and
supply
of
new
trains.

He
continued:
‘The
root
cause
of
this
failure
is
the
privatisation
and
break
up
of
a
once
unified
public
rail
industry
into
multiple
companies,
with
competing,
profit
motivated
short-term
interests
which
has
prevented
a
lack
of
coherent
planning
for
the
delivery
of
rolling
new
trains
and
infrastructure.

‘This
is
not
new:
it
is
a
problem
that
has
plagued
the
railway
supply
chain
for
many
years.

‘The
consequences
of
the
UK
losing
its
last
remaining
train
manufacturing
facility
will
not
only
be
devastating
for
jobs
and
the
local
community
it
would
be
disastrous
for
passengers
as
the
government
will
have
to
rely
on
imported
stock
which
could
be
more
expensive
to
build
and
maintain.’