Future contracts for London transport schemes which support jobs across the country are at risk without long-term funding from the Government, the capital’s mayor has warned on a visit to the North.
Sadiq Khan visited the £200 million Siemens Mobility facility, where half the 94 new Piccadilly line trains are due to be built, in Goole, East Yorkshire on Monday.
The underground trains, which passengers will see from 2025, will improve frequency, reliability and capacity on the line, replacing the previous Seventies fleet.
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Half the fleet will be built at the Goole factory, which will employ up to 700 people in engineering and manufacturing and an estimated 1,700 in the broader supply chain, having created 250 roles in construction.
Future Transport for London (TfL) contracts which support those jobs are at risk unless the Government agrees a long-term capital funding deal, Mr Khan said.
TfL’s supply chain stretches across the country and London has a strong relationship with regional suppliers.
TfL has time-limited options built into its contract with Siemens Mobility to also build new Bakerloo, Central and Waterloo and City line trains.
With sufficient funding, these options could be activated, providing ongoing work for the Goole factory, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson also toured to launch his Covid recovery plans in mid-2020.
The Labour Mayor said: “Visiting this Yorkshire factory and the state-of-the-art Piccadilly line trains being built, it is clear how strong London’s relationships with our regional suppliers are – demonstrating just how vital skills and expertise around the country is to London’s success and how investment in TfL is vital to jobs and a UK-wide recovery.
“Without sufficient capital investment in TfL, future contracts with regional suppliers are at risk. The best way to secure these highly skilled jobs into the future is for ministers to break the continuous cycle of short-term funding deals handed to TfL, which only holds back London and the rest of the country from innovation, jobs and economic growth.
“When London succeeds, the country succeeds – and vice versa. This week, the Government has the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to levelling up and deliver the capital funding TfL and its supply chain need. Without it, both London and the wider country will be held back.”
Siemens has already missed out on HS2 contracts in the UK., with Alstom and Hitachi successful.
Mr Khan was treated to an exclusive first look at the final mock-up of the new Piccadilly model, with TfL’s contract catalyst to progress the investment.
The visit was welcomed by all stakeholders.
Stuart Harvey, TfL’s chief capital officer, said: “It’s fantastic to see the progress towards introducing desperately needed, modern and reliable trains on the Piccadilly line. They will bring additional capacity, air-conditioning, walk-through carriages and improved accessibility, as well as boosting reliability and energy efficiency.
“Goole is a vitally important site for the UK as it recovers from the pandemic, supporting hundreds of jobs and thousands in the wider supply chain, showing just how important it is to invest in transport. Sustained long-term investment in TfL would enable us to introduce more modern trains over time to replace other ageing fleets alongside new signalling – improving the journeys of millions more customers, reducing the costs of running the Tube and supporting hundreds more jobs in Goole and beyond in the years to come.
“I’m proud of the teams at TfL and Siemens who have kept this project on track despite the pandemic and look forward to seeing these new trains on the transport network in the not too distant future.”
Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy said: "It is great to welcome the Mayor of London to Goole where he will be able to feel the real buzz the Siemens development is generating in Goole. It also demonstrates the interconnectivity of investment decisions across the country.
“Investing in London's transport system is not only of benefit to Londoners and those who visit and do business in our capital city, it is also supporting thousands of jobs across the North and bringing hundreds of millions of pounds of investment to Goole. It is levelling-up in action.
“Londoners will be able to travel on the Piccadilly Line safe in the knowledge that their train was built by the finest folk in the finest part of the North of England!"
Sambit Banerjee, managing director of Rolling Stock & Customer Services at Siemens Mobility Limited said: “We’re very proud to be building London’s newest tube trains right here in Yorkshire.
“The investment in the new Piccadilly line trains is helping us establish Goole as a centre of excellence for UK rail, creating up to 700 new jobs, including local apprentices and graduate trainees, and growing our large UK supply chain.
“We also want to build the next generation of Britain’s mainline trains here in Yorkshire, alongside new Bakerloo, Central and Waterloo & City line trains, subject to funding being confirmed.”
Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “Economic success is not a zero-sum game. We’re pleased to see the Mayor taking the time to come up north to see the ways in which we and London can work together to create jobs, catalyse investment and unlock growth. Genuine levelling up in action.
“The chance to create a rail manufacturing ecosystem in Goole is testament the leadership role the north can play in the UK’s economy. Our expertise in manufacturing and innovation is helping to decarbonise the transport sector and bring us closer to net zero, while the City of London accelerates the UK’s internationally competitive financial services sector.
“Public and private investment is pouring in from across the country and creating huge opportunities in Goole.
“New tube trains for TfL are being made by Siemens Mobility, unlocking the town’s rail R&D capability with the University of Birmingham, while building a pipeline of skilled workers through engineering programmes in primary schools and advanced vocational learning.”
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