IT is absolutely disgraceful that Hitachi has not been awarded the contract to build new trains for the Tyne and Wear Metro following the company's failure to obtain the contract for the London Underground (Echo, Sept 18).

The south, whose support of the north is perhaps questionable, one can expect, but Nexus in our own backyard beggars belief. And this is a publicly owned company.

The Government should act as a matter of urgency to overturn this decision and secure some certainty for all those workers involved.

It also makes no sense giving a contract to a company from a country in the EU when we are committed to leave that organisation.

Don Colclough, Darlington

What benefit?

THE suggestion on the front page today (Echo, Sept 18) that to comply with EU rules, Nexus may be prompted to order new rolling stock to be built in Spain rather than at Hitachi's works at Newton Aycliffe begs the question: where are the benefits to the North-East manufacturers by our membership of the EU?

Some of our local Members of Parliament loudly proclaim those benefits, but where are they?

Tim Brown, Ferryhill