Bombardier turns back on UK supply chain?

This from a Mr Tony Miles...

I see that the Captain of Netball has issued a written ministerial statement today on Crossrail procurement.

In it Ms Greening says:

My department has been working with colleagues across Whitehall, and suppliers and delivery bodies to implement these recommendations. Across the transport sector we want to improve dialogue with suppliers and increase the long-term visibility of forthcoming contracts in order to strengthen the capability of the UK supply chain....

The Invitation to Negotiate includes requirements for ‘responsible procurement’. This means that bidders are required to set out how they will engage with the wider supply chain and provide opportunities for training, apprenticeships, and small and medium size businesses within their procurement strategy. Bidders are also required to establish an appropriate local presence to manage the delivery of the contract.

And quite right too!

But what's this?

Rail Business Intelligence revealed last week that Bombardier is looking to source the electrical components for its Project Thor/eVoyager proposal from Sweden rather than Alstom in Preston!

The pleas for support for "The UK's last train builder" and all the stuff about supporting the local economy no doubt now seem rather hollow to the people of Preston and the Alstom workforce there.

I trust that MPs and union members who joined business leaders to campaign for the allocation of work to the Derby facility will bear this in mind should Crossrail not go Bombardier's way?

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

Since the value added, high tech expensive stuff in a train is under the floor, the choice of traction package could have a big influence under the new Greening Doctirne of Responsible Procurement.

Might be worth running down the list of pre-qualified bidders for Crossrail to see if any of the train manufacturers hasn't got an in-house traction package supplier.

Olé!

Sleeper sunk by soggy loan?

This from The Herald...

The UK Treasury had offered a £50m contribution to upgrading the sleeper contingent on this being matched by the Scottish Government. The revelation in The Herald today that the Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney has rerouted this £50m to enable Scottish water to accelerate capital expenditure must raise questions about the future of the sleeper service.

As Gideon's £50m bung to keep the Deerstalker Express on the rails was dependent on match funding from the Scottish Executive this may get interesting.