We need the help of you, your colleagues, friends and family to save UK rail manufacturing, together with 30,000 jobs across the UK and £30 billion of taxpayers’ money!

The government’s decision to award the Thameslink contract to Siemans has been met with overwhelming opposition and will create a tsunami of negative economic impact. The UK tender, from Derby-based Bombardier, has been rejected and now all 1,200 trains will be built in Germany at a cost to the UK taxpayer of £1.2billion.

Bombardier is the last remaining rail manufacturer in the UK and they are now reviewing their operation here. 90% of German trains are built in Germany, 91% of Spanish trains built in Spain and 100% of French trains built in France.

The UK now faces a future where every train, tram and tube will need to be imported.

Derby has chosen to stand up for itself and for the UK. It starts tomorrow when a public-private delegation from the city will meet the President of Bombardier in Berlin. We travel as an act of solidarity and to see what it might take to persuade them to stay here.

This will be followed with a meeting with the Prime Minister David Cameron when we will state the case for retaining 170 years of skill and train production, thousands of jobs and billions in UK taxpayers’ money.

It is unimaginable that the UK will no longer build trains but unless the government do something very soon this will happen.

The stakes are high and we are asking for your support in signing the petition that will be sent to the House of Commons before summer recess.

This is not party political. The Conservative leader of Derby City Council, Philip Hickson, is leading the delegation. The Labour MP for Derby North Chris Williamson is leading on the petition.

Please show your support in the following ways;

Print, sign and circulate this petition - http://www.marketingderby.co.uk/private/files/bombardier_thameslink_petition.pdf

Write to the Prime Minister - http://www.number10.gov.uk/footer/contact-us

Support the 'Thameslink Protest Page' on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thameslink-Protest/118345774919703

Circulate this message via Twitter - 'Backing Bombardier to stay in the UK - http://bit.ly/l3KUpG'