1,000 new jobs under Fife train factory bid
● Talgo hopes to start construction at Longannet site next year as it bids for HS2 and other railway carriage contracts
A train manufacturing plant set to be built in Fife will create at least 1,000 jobs.
Spanish firm Talgo announced it intended to start construction of the factory within a year.
But the plan remains dependent on the company winning train orders after being shortlisted for the lucrative HS2 contract.
“The end of the coal age can be the beginning of a vibrant, low carbon industry in central Scotland” MARK RUSKELL Green MSP
Labour move to end Scotrail franchise early is rejected by MSPS
By ALASTAIR DALTON
At least 1,000 jobs will be created at a new train-building factory in Fife once orders are won, Spanish firm Talgo has announced.
Construction of the 70,000 square metre plant beside the former Longannet power station site is expected to take 18 months.
Talgo plans to build a range of trains and has been shortlisted for the high-speed trains contract for the HS2 line due to open between London and northern England in 2026.
The firm said extra jobs would be created in planning and construction of the factory, which could start within a year.
However, the plan is dependent on winning train orders.
A spokesman said: “It is all contingent on a significant order, which includes HS2 and other [British] franchises. There are also opportunities in Ireland and round the world.
“We envisage a process where we can be ready to ‘push the button’ on construction, the day after we receive an order. Our strategy is to be ‘ready to build’ the day we receive an ‘anchor client’ – in other words, a train order. We’d hope that this will happen within 12 months.”
An “innovation centre” will also be established at Chesterfield in Derbyshire. The company said it would establish “true manufacturing” at Longannet using Uk-sourced components, rather than assembling imported parts.
President Carlos de Palacio said: “The establishment of a manufacturing facility at Longannet is a significant part of Talgo’s future strategy.
“Longannet is the preferred location for a factory site, envisaged to employ at least a thousand people.”
Talgo said it had been chosen because of its good sea, rail and road connections, and availability of skilled workers.
Componentsmaybebrought in by ship, while the firm said it would be keen to see further rail electrification to enable newly-built trains to run direct from the factory.
That suggests possible upgrading of the line past Longannet between Alloa and Dunfermline, which was previously used by coal trains going to the power station.
The factory would be built on the power station’s coal storage yard, west of the complex.
Scottishpower is demolishing the power station, which closed two years ago.
Talgo has built trains for the Haramain high-speed line between La Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, and highspeed trains for Spanish operator Renfe.
The news will return train building to Scotland after a gap of more than 30 years.
The announcement also marks a significant expansion for 76-year-old Talgo, whose workforce will grow by one third from the current 2,000 spread across plants in Spain, Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia and the United States.
Mid Scotland and Fife Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell said: “The end of the coal age can be the beginning of a vibrant, low carbon industry in central Scotland and Talgo’s commitment to 1,000 new jobs will be transformative.
“The rail infrastructure in place was key to the company choosing this site and I’m excited to see how this can pave the way for more innovative and ambitious freight and passenger rail in Scotland.
“There has been a long standing demand for a re-opening of the Stirling to Dunfermline line to passenger services and this could be the final piece of the puzzle.”
Transport secretary Michael Matheson said: “This investment is a significant achievement for Scotland.
“Should Talgo be successful in its bid to win the contract for HS2 rolling stock, this factory would bring a great number of new jobs to Fife.”
Nicky Wilson, of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, said: “This is a gamechanger for the area in terms of the investment it will bring, jobs it will create and wider economic benefit bound to follow.”
A Scottish Labour move to end Abellio’s Scotrail franchise early has been rejected by MSPS.
The proposal to cancel the contract in 2022 was thrown out by 85 votes to 34.
Transport spokesman Colin Smyth had sought to win backing for ministers to trigger a “break clause” in the franchise agreement in 2020 to terminate the ten-year contract three years before it is due to end in 2025.
Labour wants to nationalise the train operator while the SNP Scottish Government plans to seek
a public sector bidder for the next franchise.
Mr Smyth said ending the Scotrail contract in 2022 would provide a chance to “put passengers before profits” because the “failing” franchise had become a “shambles”.
He said: “Under the fragmented, privatised rail system we have today, public transport has become detached from public service.”
Connectivity minister Paul Wheelhouse said: “There continues to be significant challenges in both Network Rail and Scotrail’s ability to meet the [Scottish] Government’s challenging, but achievable, service performance targets.” He said Scotrail was making significant improvements, and nearly two-thirds of delays were caused by track owner Network Rail.
Scottish Conservatives transport spokesman Jamie Greene also attacked the proposal, which he said “makes little sense” because there was no way of knowing what Scotrail’s performance would be like in 2020.
He added: “I don’t have the same confidence in this Government that they could take over as operator of last resort.”
However, Green MSP John Finnie backed an early end to the franchise. He said: “It’s my belief the Scottish Government should exercise the break clause at the earliest opportunity.
“Delivering a service that’s run in the public interest is simply about political will.”
Mr Smyth angrily reacted to the vote.
He said: “Hard-pressed passengers across the country will be disgusted to see the SNP and the Tories block Labour’s plans to end the privatisation of Scotland’s railways.
“Abellio was supposed to be a world-leading contract for Scotrail. Instead passengers are suffering from overpriced, overcrowded trains that are frequently cancelled.”