Bombardier loses Thameslink deal
Derby-based Bombardier has lost out on a multimillion-pound contract to build 1,200 carriages on the government's Thameslink route. A group led by Germany-based Siemens was named preferred bidder for the contract, which is set to create 2,000 jobs.
The Thameslink contract is part of a £6bn rail upgrade embarked upon by the government.
Bombardier - which has 3,000 employees in Derby - also lost out on a major deal recently to a Japanese-led consortium to build inter-city trains.
The upgrade on the Bedford to Brighton Thameslink route will almost double peak-time capacity.
New carriages will begin to arrive in 2015, with the full fleet in use by 2018.
In a statement, transport minister Theresa Villiers said Siemens would provide "the best value for money for taxpayers".
She added: "Despite the pressure on budgets resulting from the need to tackle the deficit, we remain fully committed to the Thameslink upgrade which will dramatically improve journeys for commuters and boost the economy."
