Ford announced it would phase out production of the Escort over the next three years at its Halewood plant on Merseyside. Some 1,300 jobs will go. Ford says it only needs two plants at Saarlouis in Germany and Valencia, Spain to build an Escort replacement and there is no room for Halewood.
However there is still the possibility that the plant could be saved with a proposal that it should become the European production centre for a “people carrier” or multi-purpose vehicle from 2000.
- The Daily Telegraph 17/01/97 page 6, page 29 (City Comment)
- The Times 17/01/97 page 23
- Financial Times 17/01/97 page 8, page 21 (Leader), page 22
- The Independent 17/01/97 page 3, page 21 (Comment)
- The Guardian 17/01/97 page 4
