Nexus responds to Mayor’s job loss claims following Metro contract

Transport company Nexus has responded to the Tees Valley Mayor’s claims that its decision on a train development contract has caused hundreds of job losses in the North East.

Mayor Ben Houchen said yesterday: “[The contract] has resulted in 250 hard-working, highly skilled local people losing their jobs.”

The Mayor claimed that by choosing Stadler instead of North East-based Hitachi, Nexus was responsible for the job losses at the company.

In response, a Nexus spokesman said: “It is simply not the case that job losses at Hitachi are in any way linked to the Tyne and Wear Metro contract.

“Hitachi wrote to Nexus and assured us of this. Nexus has conducted an entirely fair and legal procurement process.

“The winning bidder will deliver world class trains for the people of Tyne and Wear, trains which are desperately needed.

“The North East region will benefit greatly from this project.

“It delivers a boost to manufacturing companies in the local supply chain. This is hugely positive for North East England.”

The Department for Transport has confirmed it is providing £337m to Nexus towards funding the cost of the £362m project.

The contract will deliver 42 new trains in the next five years, as well as a new maintenance facility, which Nexus says will employ around 100 people directly.

Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: “The DfT’s [Department for Transport] £337m investment heralds a new era for the Tyne and Wear Metro, providing passengers with greener, more reliable, and more comfortable journeys.

“Upgrading the Metro fleet will boost our economy, improve journeys for passengers and underlines our determination to level up opportunity and connectivity across the country.”

Councillor Martin Gannon, chair of the Joint Transport Committee for North East England, said: “We have secured government investment in our region for new Metro trains which will meet the needs of our people for decades to come, secure hundreds of jobs and help us tackle the climate emergency.

“These new trains will be rooted in our region – they are designed based on what more than 3,000 passengers told us what they wanted from their daily journey.

“They will be built and brought into service by exploiting manufacturing excellence in new supply chains here in North East England and across the UK. They will be maintained and operated by the proud workers who make Metro happen.”

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