YORK'S council chiefs will write to Transport Secretary Stephen Byers to ask for government action in support of threatened Holgate wagonworks Thrall Europa.

Council leader Rod Hills agreed with Liberal Democrat leader Steve Galloway that approaching Mr Byers was "something the council needs to do".

Speaking at last night's full meeting of City of York Council, Coun Coun Hills laid the blame for the lack of orders at the company at the door of the Strategic Rail Authority - and Railtrack

"But particularly Railtrack in terms of the lack of priority given to freight," he said.

Coun Galloway claimed there was a feeling of "deja vu" among York's residents over the possible loss of the city's rail manufacturing capacity.

He said: "That concern is made all the more acute by the fact it is less than five years since a similar crisis appeared to have been averted by the arrival of Thrall.

"It would be a tragedy on several levels, critically that of people and their skills."

Liberal Democrat Peter Vaughan said he supported Councillors Hills' and Galloway's comments.

He asked for an assurance that "every possible effort is being made to champion York's challenge for the national railway academy." Coun Hills replied that it was.

Thrall's plight became public last Wednesday, when the Evening Press exclusively reported the company only has enough work to last until July.

We revealed then that the 260-employee factory's fabrication department - which makes wagon parts - was in the process of closing down and moving to the Czech Republic.

It is five months since the Duke of York visited Thrall as he began his new role as a special ambassador for trade and industry.

A Railtrack spokeswoman said that responsibility for orders rested with the Government and the Strategic Rail Authority.

Updated: 10:55 Wednesday, March 06, 2002