NEARLY 4,000 people have signed a petition calling for train building to return to the region.

The signatures were obtained by campaigners calling for the Government to award the £7.5bn Intercity Express Programme (IEP) to Hitachi.

The Japanese manufacturer has already indicated it would build a factory to assemble the next generation of high-speed trains at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, if it won the contract.

Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgefield, who is leading the campaign to bring Hitachi to the North-East, will take the petition to London on Monday to present to ministers.

The Government is expected to make a final decision later this month.

Mr Wilson urged anyone who had been collecting signatures to send their completed sheets to his office.

He said: “This just shows the depth of support there is for this campaign. We obviously want as many signatures as possible so I would ask anyone with a sheet to send it in before Monday.”

The Back on Track campaign has been launched by The Northern Echo, together with Durham County Council, the North East Chamber of Commerce, Northern TUC, Mr Wilson and Unite the union to bring Hitachi to the region. So far, more than 100 businesses and councils have backed the campaign, as well as politicians from all three main parties.

Completed petitions should be sent to Phil Wilson MP, 4 Beveridge Walkway, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 4EE.