Transport Secretary Haigh opens £200m train manufacturing factory in Yorkshire

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has opened a £200 million train manufacturing factory in Yorkshire which will support 700 jobs.

The site will build the new Piccadilly line trains for a planned refurbishment of that line to deliver more reliable, accessible and faster journeys across London.

Ms Haigh attended Siemens’ Rail Village in Goole to celebrate the formal opening of its new site.

Siemens Mobility also announced up to a further £40 million of investment towards a new bogie assembly and service centre which will create up to 200 extra jobs.

The Government says the hub has been made possible by funding settlements with Transport for London (TfL) that have given Siemens the confidence to invest in the site.

The opening comes ahead of the Government’s International Investment Summit on October 14, which will bring together companies and major investors as Labour pitches Britain to businesses.

As part of this drive, the Transport Secretary says she is working to end the “boom and bust” approach to rail manufacturing by delivering a long-term industrial strategy for rolling stock.

Ms Haigh said:  “This impressive, world-class facility will be transformational to Goole and its people, providing a boost to the region’s economy and supporting hundreds of skilled jobs.

“Its opening demonstrates the importance of high quality, long-term investment to pave the way for employment and growth.

“I know how vital rail manufacturing is to our economy, which is why we will not sit on our hands when it comes to supporting it. For too long, the cycle of boom-and-bust has held back this sector.

“That’s why I am determined to put an end to the stop-start approach to investment and provide the industry with the certainty it needs to deliver a railway that is fit for the future.”

The new Piccadilly Line trains are expected to start serving the London Underground network next year, aiming to boost reliability, provide extra services for passengers and increase capacity.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the facility is “a fantastic example” of how investment in London “benefits the whole country”.

He said: “This factory, where the new state-of-the-art Piccadilly line trains will be built, will create up to 900 direct jobs and support another 1,700 in the supply chain, delivering great benefits to the wider UK economy, showing that where London succeeds, the whole country succeeds and vice versa.”

Meanwhile, Ms Haigh announced that she has appointed West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) chief executive Laura Shoaf as chairwoman of Shadow Great British Railways.

The organisation will help design Great British Railways – a permanent public sector body that will oversee railway infrastructure and services – which requires legislation for it to be created.

Before leading the WMCA, Ms Shoaf was managing director of Transport for West Midlands, and was the first female chair of the Urban Transport Group, which comprises transport leaders from across the UK.

She said: “My focus will be ensuring people are at the heart of the railways, and to ensure this remains a focus for years to come.”