Future contracts for London transport schemes which support jobs across the country are at risk without long-term funding from the Government, the capital鈥檚 mayor has warned on a visit to the North.
Sadiq Khan visited the 拢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鈥檚 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: 鈥淰isiting this Yorkshire factory and the state-of-the-art Piccadilly line trains being built, it is clear how strong London鈥檚 relationships with our regional suppliers are 鈥 demonstrating just how vital skills and expertise around the country is to London鈥檚 success and how investment in TfL is vital to jobs and a 海角视频-wide recovery.
鈥淲ithout 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.
鈥淲hen London succeeds, the country succeeds 鈥 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.鈥
Siemens has already missed out on HS2 contracts in the 海角视频., 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鈥檚 contract catalyst to progress the investment.
The visit was welcomed by all stakeholders.
Stuart Harvey, TfL鈥檚 chief capital officer, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 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.
鈥淕oole is a vitally important site for the 海角视频 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 鈥 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.
鈥淚鈥檓 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.鈥
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.
鈥淚nvesting 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.
鈥淟ondoners 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: 鈥淲e鈥檙e very proud to be building London鈥檚 newest tube trains right here in Yorkshire.
鈥淭he investment in the new Piccadilly line trains is helping us establish Goole as a centre of excellence for 海角视频 rail, creating up to 700 new jobs, including local apprentices and graduate trainees, and growing our large 海角视频 supply chain.
鈥淲e also want to build the next generation of Britain鈥檚 mainline trains here in Yorkshire, alongside new Bakerloo, Central and Waterloo & City line trains, subject to funding being confirmed.鈥
Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: 鈥淓conomic success is not a zero-sum game. We鈥檙e 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.
鈥淭he chance to create a rail manufacturing ecosystem in Goole is testament the leadership role the north can play in the 海角视频鈥檚 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 海角视频鈥檚 internationally competitive financial services sector.
鈥淧ublic and private investment is pouring in from across the country and creating huge opportunities in Goole.
鈥淣ew tube trains for TfL are being made by Siemens Mobility, unlocking the town鈥檚 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.鈥
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