Mayor seals deals with Hitachi to help deliver cleaner transport vision

NORTH East mayor Kim McGuinness has signed two deals with Japanese industrial giant Hitachi which she says will bring jobs and cleaner transport to the region.

- GRAEME WHITFIELD

North East mayor Kim McGuinness and Port of Tyne CEO Matt Beeton sign a Memorandum of Understanding with representatives of Hitachi

The agreements signed in Tokyo would see Hitachi work with the Port of Tyne to develop its aims of decarbonising shipping in the region, while the Japanese firm will also help the North East Combined Authority with its aim of making all of its buses zero-emission within a decade.

And following on from the Government announcement in September that the North East would become the country’s first AI Growth Zone, the mayoral authority says it will work with Hitachi on how its HMAX platform can drive Al-powered innovation.

Hitachi already has a significant presence in the North East through its rail factory at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. The plant's future was secured earlier this year after contracts for new trains from North East companies Lumo and Grand Central.

Ms McGuinness said: “Japan’s investment in North East England continues and I’m pleased to be meeting the senior leadership team of Hitachi Ltd and signing two new agreements which will see Hitachi back our plans to transform buses in the North East and boost our clean energy sector.