Derby MP and RMT Parliamentary Group Member Chis Williamson has secured a Commons debate on the Thameslink and Crossrail fleet procurement contracts this afternoon as rumours persist that Government officials are now looking at an alternative on the Thameslink deal which is no closer to sign-off and is clearly riddled with serious contamination 18 months on.

Recently it emerged that the DFT are actively “assessing options were it not possible to secure financial close”. RMT believes that the only alternative option is the UK train-building plant at Bombardier in Derby. Last week rumours were swirling around the industry that the Siemens financing plans, bound up in the Eurozone turmoil, were in tatters and they were on the point of either being thrown off the job or walking away.

The timetable for the delivery of the Thameslink rolling stock has slipped badly and, with the fleet due to cascade through to other electrification projects, the Government now run the risk of running diesel stock on newly electrified lines, like the Lancashire triangle, as they come on stream in what would be a further, massive embarrassment for the DfT.

As a result of the continuing chaos – which mirrors the West Coast fiasco and involves the same DFT officials - RMT is calling for the Thameslink contract, 18 months after it was awarded in principle to German outfit Siemens, to be handed to Bombardier in Derby, protecting the future of the last train builder in the nation that gave the railways to the world.

RMT General Secretary Bob Cow said:

“The game is clearly up for the Siemens/Thameslink deal which is riddled with the same contamination and incompetence as the West Coast main line fiasco. The Government should now be forced to hand this work over to Bombardier in Derby saving thousands of key manufacturing jobs and calling a halt to this 18 months of shame.”