Rail deal worth £500m will help save Scunthorpe steelworks, says minister

A £500 million five-year deal has been struck between Network Rail and British Steel to help save the Scunthorpe steelworks, the Government has announced. A £500 million five-year deal has been struck between Network Rail and British Steel to help save the Scunthorpe steelworks, the Government has announced. British Steel is to supply 337,000 tonnes of rail track, which will secure thousands of manufacturing jobs, in an agreement which comes two months after the Government used emergency powers to prevent the blast furnaces from immediate closure. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, who is visiting the site in North Lincolnshire to finalise the deal, said it “truly transforms the outlook for British Steel and its dedicated workforce in Scunthorpe”. British Steel is to supply a minimum of 337,000 tonnes of long and short rail. A further 80-90,000 tonnes is to be provided by other European manufacturers and deals are expected to be announced shortly, the Department for Transport (...