Responding to today’s news that the Department for Transport (DfT) has signed the deal with Hitachi Rail Europe which will bring a high tech rail assembly plant to Newton Aycliffe the Leader of Durham County Council, Cllr Simon Henig, said: “This is a hugely significant moment for County Durham. Rail manufacturing is coming home,...

By Martin Walker Hitachi’s £4.5bn Intercity Express Programme (IEP) has finally been officially signed and sealed by the Government, it was announced this morning. Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson, who played a huge part in realising the Hitachi dream, has told Aycliffe Today it represents a “truly monumental deal” for Newton Aycliffe...

Aycliffe Today attended Hitachi’s construction open day at the Xcel Centre a month ago to bring extensive coverage from the day. Click on the links below to read the various features, which tell you everything you need to know about Hitachi Rail Europe’s £4.5bn Intercity Express Programme. HITACHI OPEN DAY SUCCESS HITACHI THE...

By Martin Walker Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson, who played a huge part in realising the Hitachi dream, has told Aycliffe Today it represents a “truly monumental deal” for Newton Aycliffe and the region. Hitachi Rail Europe’s initial £77m factory on Amazon Park, which is expected to be open for business in 2014, will bring 200 jobs in...

By Martin Walker Police are investigating after windows were broken and a burglary took place at houses in a Newton Aycliffe street within a few hours of each other. Windows were broken at one house in Rowan Place between about 12.30pm and 1.30pm on Friday (20th July). At about 3pm another house in Rowan Place was burgled. Three...

By Martin Walker Two Aycliffe pensioners have told Aycliffe Today how they’re “wheelie” pleased about Durham Council’s bin-collecting U-turn. As reported in this morning’s Northern Echo, wheelie bin collections will return to normal for almost 300 households after the local authority reversed its decision to ban bin men from...

Newton Aycliffe-based firm Filtronic has followed up a £5.3m loss-making year with a profitable one. The microwave electronics company, whose management and 100 of its 160 staff are based on Aycliffe Business Park, upped its revenue by 68% in just 12 months. As reported in today’s Northern Echo, its preliminary end-of-year results...

New rules aimed at preventing the illegal dumping of trade and commercial materials come into force next month. People visiting household waste recycling centres (HWRC) in County Durham in a van, pick-up or trailer already need to apply in advance for a free waste permit to use the site. From Wednesday, 1 August, these rules will also...

By Martin Walker Woodham College’s head teacher says the new Academy status in September is fantastic news for the school and the Newton Aycliffe community. The school announced its conversion to an Academy a fortnight ago, with the changing coming into effect in the new school year in September. Head Christine Forsyth has told...

By Martin Walker Bin men have been banned from collecting wheelie bins from back alleys in Newton Aycliffe due to fears they may suffer a back injury. It means hundreds of residents from eight streets near Aycliffe town centre must pull their own bins through alleyways, or risk not having them collected at all. Almost 300 households...