
16 July 2014
RMT Press Office
RAIL UNION RMT today called for a new fleet of London Overground trains to be built at the Bombardier plant in Derby – helping to protect 10,000 jobs at the factory and in the supply chain and adding some security to the future of train building in the nation that gave the railways to the world.
TfL has shortlisted the bidders for the trains which are due to arrive in 2017 and which will run on new London Overground routes out of Liverpool Street station and also replace the current two-car diesel trains on the Gospel Oak Barking route. RMT says that the development should come with an explicit commitment from London Overground to both protect existing jobs and expand employment opportunities into the future.
The shortlisted companies are:
- Siemens Mobility Rolling Stock
- Hitachi Rail Europe
- Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles S.A. (CAF)
- Bombardier Transportation
The successful bidder will be announced in Spring 2015 and will be contracted to supply 39 new four-car, electric, metro-style trains to operate high-frequency, high-capacity suburban services in and around London . Thirty-one new trains will operate on routes recently devolved from the West Anglia franchise to TfL which run between Liverpool Street and Enfield Town, Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) and Chingford as well as the Romford to Upminster route. Eight of the electric units will be allocated to the Gospel Oak to Barking service to replace the current two-carriage diesel trains.
Mick Cash, RMT acting general secretary said.
“After the Thameslink fleet fiasco it is extraordinary that Siemens are being given another kick of the ball on a major London rolling stock project.
“The socio-economic benefits of keeping a viable UK train building operation in Derby have to be a major consideration with 10,000 jobs in both the supply chain and at the Bombardier plant itself dependent on its survival.”
Want to receive updates from us? Subscribe to a mailing list
Tagged with: London Overground, LOROL, Bombardier
Related News
- 3 in 4 Tube staff subjected to violence
- RMT London Overground Protest to take place on Monday 28 June
- RMT research reveals high productivity levels of TFL staff as Government threaten savage cuts and attacks on workforce as part of finance deal
- RMT pledges all-out fight to protect pensions at TfL
- RMT on reports tonight that Government are threatening a total takeover of TFL