100 jobs created as rail operator agrees seven-year deal

Almost 100 jobs will be created at rail group Alstom’s Widnes site and hundreds more will be safeguarded in a deal with new West Coast mainline operator Avanti West Coast.

The rail operator, which took over from former operator Virgin Trains last month, has struck a £642m deal with Alstom to refurbish and maintin the Pendolino fleet it inherited from Virgin on the route.

This will lead to almost 100 jobs at Alstom’s transport and technology centre in Widnes.

Hundreds more at sites in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Oxley and Wembley will be safeguarded as a result of the deal.

Avanti West Coast – a joint venture by Aberdeen-based transport company FirstGroup and Italian firm Trenitalia – said the seven-year deal, which includes a £127m upgrade of the trains, will also cover maintenance as well as a new train fleet recently ordered from Hitachi.

The refurbishment is expected to focus on onboard facilities such as seating, revamped toilets, lighting, interiors and the installation of at-seat chargers and improved Wi-Fi.

Phil Whittingham, managing director of Avanti West Coast, said: “The Pendolino is an iconic passenger train and we’re delighted to be giving it a new lease of life.

“This deal will improve the experience of passengers and ensure the fleet can continue to serve communities up and down the West Coast route in the years ahead.”