Construction of a €25 million rail maintenance depot and training facility in Widnes, Cheshire, is to go ahead after receiving planning permission from Halton Borough Council.
Alstom said it hopes begin work on the 30-acre site, which will house the company’s North West Transport Training Academy, later this year. The academy is expected to open in autumn 2017.
As well as a training centre, the facility, which is located within close proximity of the West Coast Main Line, will be used as a rolling stock maintenance and modernisation depot.
Andreas Knitter, Alstom’s senior vice-president for Europe, said: “This new centre is part of our global strategy to grow our service activities by localising our operations close to our customers. It allows us to react much more quickly to growth in local markets.
“The UK is one of the most exciting places in the world for train companies like Alstom to do business, so it’s important that we run the most efficient operation possible through modern facilities with the latest technology.”
