Bombardier takes axe to UK train making business

Canadian aerospace and transport group Bombardier said yesterday that it would axe 1,362 jobs at its British train making business, closing three plants in the UK.

The move is part of a £429m (€635m) European restructuring plan of the loss making rail operations which will see 6,600 people lose their jobs. The cuts will hit Europe particularly hard, with seven factories marked for closure.

Paul Tellier, the chief executive, said European plants were working at just 55% of capacity and those earmarked for closure at just 44%.

However the situation is improving for Bombardier-Shorts in Northern Ireland , with new orders secured to produce a new line of larger aircraft for the company.

Bombardier-Shorts in Belfast has seen 2,000 losing their jobs in the past two years. Bombardier acquired Shorts for £30m (€44.4m) in 1989.