MPs ARE URGING the Government to reveal its reasons for choosing Siemens as the builder of the £1.4 million Thameslink fleet in preference to Derby-based Bombardier.
The Government has, however, agreed to publish more details about its plans for future rolling stock orders.
The call for greater clarity has come from the House of Commons Transport Select Committee, following the Government's response to the Committee's report about rolling stock procurement.
The Committee had launched its inquiry in the wake of the major controversy sparked by the award of the Thameslink contract to Siemens last June, although at the moment the German multinational still only has 'preferred bidder' status.
The Transport Committee's chairman Louise Ellman said: "If the Government decides to contract with Siemens for the Thameslink trains we would like more information to be published about why their bid was preferred to Bombardier's. This is essential to restore public confidence in the Department for Transport's procurement process and we urge the Secretary of State to act."
Ms Ellman is also urging the Department to provide a 'steady flow of work opportunities' to support employment in the train-building sector, rather than occasional major orders.
The Government's response to the Committee's criticisms, published today, includes a partial admission that the Committee has a point about the 'start-stop' nature of new train procurement in recent years. It says there is 'scope for the DfT to ensure that there is a steadier flow of opportunities', although it warns that it may not be 'feasible or desirable' to smooth out the peaks and troughs altogether.
The official reply to the Committee also promises a clearer view of the prospects for future rolling stock orders, saying: 'The Department plans to publish in April a pipeline of potential rolling stock replacements, which will be informed by the Association of Train Operating Companies' view of its members' future rolling stock procurements.
'Future updates of this pipeline will reflect the industry's response to the opportunities they have taken to procure investment encouraged by the Coalition's policy of, where practicable, longer franchises.'
Ms Ellman, however, is yet to be convinced. She commented: "It remains to be seen how this will affect firms like Bombardier and the long term security of UK supply chains."