Up to 45 railway jobs could be axed in York with the proposed closure of a freight train crew depot off the city's Leeman Road.

The depot, which is run by English, Welsh and Scottish Railway Ltd, is likely to close as a result of productivity improvements and a reorganisation which will take its work to depots on Tyneside and the Doncaster area.

Darcie Park, communications manager for English, Welsh and Scottish Railway, said senior managers had met York staff - 43 drivers, a depot assistant and a standards inspector - to explain the proposals.

She added a formal consultation process with unions would start in the next two weeks and the company would whenever possible offer displaced staff a job at another depot.

"It is still a proposal at this stage. We are doing everything we can to minimise the impact on the staff. "We know it's a difficult time for them but we are trying to approach it openly and do everything we can to help and where possible find alternative work."

Ms Park said managers had looked at transferring other work to York, but it had not been feasible. She added her company had made a major investment at York by ordering 2,500 new rail wagons to be made in the city, but "unfortunately there is this proposed closure as well".

John Richards, spokesman for the train drivers' union ASLEF, said the union had a policy of opposing compulsory redundancies, adding: "We will be protecting the position of people displaced at York, in negotiation with the company."

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