REDUNDANCIES AT BOMBARDIER CHART LEACON HEAVY MAINTENANCE

That this House is dismayed at the loss of 150 skilled train heavy maintenance jobs at Bombardier, Chart Leacon at a time when the Public Accounts Committee has warned that rail capacity for passengers is inadequate and likely to deteriorate; notes this depot plays a vital part in the local economy, and closure of the main facilities will have a financial impact felt way beyond the site; recognises the job losses are a consequence of a lack of a long-term, co-ordinated strategy for UK train maintenance and manufacture since privatisation; and calls on the Government to urgently convene an industry summit which includes the trades unions, to develop an integrated approach to enhance Britain's capacity and skills base in this more environmentally-friendly form of transport and help the UK meet its climate change obligations.