Hitachi rail bid exit

Hitachi Europe Rail Group has said that it will not continue to bid for the provision of Thameslink service trains, and will instead focus on existing commitments.

Alistair Dormer, managing director of Hitachi Europe Rail Group, said: ‘We are firmly dedicated to the UK rail industry and are currently working towards delivering the class 395 trains into service later this year.

'Our strategic focus is to successfully fulfil our current commitments and to further build our capabilities in the UK to respond to future bids.

‘At the heart of our company lies the belief that whatever our commitments, we want to deliver the best possible result for the UK rail industry and UK passengers.

'We are in the early planning stages for our rolling stock manufacturing and assembly facility in the UK, which will serve as a European manufacturing hub.

'These are the strategic activities on which we as a company will continue to focus.’