Hundreds of jobs in the North East have been secured following a £300m contract awarded to Hitachi Rail's plant for new trains.
Sunderland based Arriva Group announced the procurement of nine battery hybrid trains, all set to be built at the train manufacturer's County Durham plant in Newton Aycliffe, as its Grand Central service was granted permission to run until 2038 from Sunderland and Bradford to London.
These new greener trains, which are developed in the North East, will offer a 20% increase in seating capacity, enabling an additional 400,000 trips annually. As well as cementing the continued operation of the Newton Aycliffe Hitachi factory, which had been at risk last year due to a lack of orders, the deal comes months after a significant deal secured by First Group for its Lumo service at the end of last year.
READ MORE: {}
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander visited the Hitachi site to officially confirm the transaction, reports .
Commenting on the investment, she said: "Just four months since the Prime Minister and I welcomed a significant deal for Hitachi and its workforce in Newton Aycliffe, this new £300m investment marks yet another step forward in securing the future of rail manufacturing in the North East. The landmark deal is proof that our Plan for Change is delivering results – creating the right environment for investment, which in turn supports high-skilled jobs, drives economic growth and delivers real improvement in people's lives.
"Not only will this new battery technology deliver greener journeys for passengers, but it will also boost skills for the workforce and futureproof jobs here in Newton Aycliffe as we continue to deliver a railway fit for the 21st century."
North East mayor, Kim McGuinness, added: "I made it one of my first priorities as mayor to secure the future of Hitachi in County Durham, and with that the jobs of hundreds of people who work at the Newton Aycliffe plant. Today's announcement confirming a new £300m order by Arriva for state-of-the-art trains is just the latest sign we are succeeding.
"This is great news for Hitachi and its highly skilled workforce, showing there's real confidence in advanced manufacturing in North East England. I'm so proud to say that in the very near future, the entire Grand Central fleet which links Sunderland to York and London will have been proudly built in our region."
Most Read
Offering significant environmental benefits, the new trains are slated to reduce emissions and fuel consumption by about 30%. They aim to enter and leave stations using zero-emission battery mode, which is expected to enhance air quality and minimise noise. Arriva and Grand Central have ambitions to expand their route services, potentially stimulating further demand for new trains.
Amanda Furlong, managing director of Arriva 海角视频 Trains, stated: "This major investment underscores our commitment to the 海角视频 market. We are proud to connect under-served communities with regional and national centres, helping make sustainable train travel the easy choice. These best-in-class, greener trains will deliver more comfortable journeys and a step-change in capacity on our popular Grand Central services. We look forward to announcing further rolling stock orders, providing jobs and wider economic benefits, as and when our network grows."
Jim Brewin, Hitachi Rail's 海角视频 and Ireland chief director, said: "As we celebrate 200 years since the birth of the modern railway in the North East, it's symbolic that innovative battery trains are being developed in Newton Aycliffe. Battery trains' ability to deliver cheaper, greener, and more reliable journeys means we are unlocking a new advanced manufacturing opportunity for rail today.
"Following the successful trial of this pioneering battery technology last year, Arriva and Angel Trains are transforming Hitachi's £17m R&D investment into the first battery train order to be built in the 海角视频."