Meetings on future of under-threat train builder

The factory was opened in September 2015 by then-Prime Minister David Cameron

Labour’s new transport secretary Louise Haigh will meet with officials later to discuss the future of an under-threat train builder.

Uncertainty surrounds Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe operation, with a looming production gap putting about 750 jobs at risk.

Labour had pledged before and during the general election campaign that it would act to save the factory once in power.

Ahead of the meeting in London, Ms Haigh insisted that she would "work swiftly with Hitachi" to protect jobs.

The prime minister visited the Hitachi manufacturing plant in Newton Aycliffe in April

Ms Haigh had previously claimed that the previous Conservative government could secure the site’s future "with the stroke of a pen" by extending existing Hitachi contracts, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

However, Sir Keir Starmer’s new administration has yet to do anything to support Hitachi following Labour’s landslide election victory on 4 July, despite the Department for Transport saying it was "urgently exploring options".

"I am absolutely committed to supporting rail manufacturing in the UK and developing a long-term strategy to secure the industry’s sustainable future," Ms Haigh said.

"We know how important rail manufacturing is to this region, which is why this government won't sit on our hands."

Labour has previously said it would make variations to Hitachi’s current contracts to head off the looming production gap, with work having been expected to decline from this October, as well as finding new procurement opportunities.

Saving the Hitachi factory was top of a wish list sent by North East mayor Kim McGuinness to Sir Keir after the election, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during a visit to the Treasury campus in Darlington recently that she was "absolutely determined to keep those good jobs at Hitachi".

Hitachi bosses said earlier this month that they "look forward to meeting with the new government very soon to assess available solutions to maintain jobs and skills at Newton Aycliffe".

Follow BBC Tees on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].