By Martin Walker
Our MP Phil Wilson says the £4.5bn Intercity Express Programme will be the “making” of Newton Aycliffe.
After years of delays, the Government this morning finally announced the deal with Agility Trains, a consortium led by Hitachi Rail Europe, which will bring more than 900 jobs to the town.
Hitachi’s initial £77m train-building facility on Amazon Park, near Aycliffe Business Park, will create 200 new jobs in its creation.
It will then create 730 jobs when open for business in two years.
Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson, pictured with Agility Trains chief executive Alistair Dormer at the Amazon Park site, played a huge part in realising the Hitachi dream.
In a Video Interview with Aycliffe Today, he said: “It’s fantastic news. These are high-quality jobs – they’re not minimum wage jobs – and there’s going to be a lot of local people employed here.
“There’s going to be Apprenticeships, there’ll be a research and development facility which just proves Hitachi’s long-term commitment to the area.
“And as Alistair Dormer said earlier, he wants to build many, many trains over many, many years in Newton Aycliffe, and we’ve come full circle.
“We’re 200 yards or so away from the original route which George Stephenson used for Locomotion One, we’re back at the cradle of train-building in the UK.”
Mr Wilson says the Hitachi development will put Aycliffe on map.
He added: “When people think of Hitachi, they’ll think of Newton Aycliffe, and when they think of Newton Aycliffe, they’ll think of Hitachi.
“This town offers the skills set that Hitachi will need, which is one of the reasons they came here.
“It will generate a lot of local jobs. Today’s announcement will be a catalyst for other suppliers and firms to come to Newton Aycliffe.
“It’s wonderful news for the town, and I think will be the making of the town.”
SEE MR WILSON’S INTERVIEW IN OUR VIDEO VAULT
