Coronavirus: Vauxhall to close UK factories for 2 weeks

The Vauxhall factories in Luton and Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, will close until March 27 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Vehicle manufacturer PSA Group, which owns the brand as well as Peugot and Opal, is closing all of its European plants including those in the UK.

They said in a statement: ‘Due to the acceleration observed in recent days of serious Covid-19 cases close to certain production sites, supply disruptions from major suppliers, as well as the sudden decline in the automobile markets, the chairman of the executive board with the members of the crisis unit decided the principle of the closure of the vehicle production sites.’

Other carmakers including Fiat Chrysler, Volkswagen and its premium unit Audi have decreased production at their European plants as they grapple with the crisis amid plunging demand.

Italy has been the European country worst hit by the crisis and the first to enforce a nationwide lockdown, which has now been replicated by Spain and to a lesser extent France as the virus sweeps through the continent.

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Written by

Lizzie Day

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