Greening hails Bombardier's Derby decision
Transport secretary Justine Greening has hailed train maker Bombardier's decision to retain its design, engineering and manufacturing functions in Derby.
The move comes despite Bombardier losing a £1.6bn contact to build trains for the Thameslink service in London. The government awarded the deal to Germany-based Siemens.
It is hoped the decision confirming Bombardier's short-term future in Derby will provide a "breathing space" for its main UK plant.
Greening told reporters: "This is great news for Bombardier and for Derby.
"When the decision on Southern trains was announced at Christmas we all hoped it would lead to exactly this kind of reassurance for the workforce and I welcome it.
"It is also worth remembering that the Department for Transport is approaching the final stages of discussions about the Voyager project (for electric power trains on the CrossCountry routes) which could mean Bombardier landing another substantial contract."
About 1,000 contractors and 200 permanent staff have lost their jobs at Bombardier's Derby site since the Thameslink decision was made. Almost 1,600 still work at the site.
