BURNLEY MP Peter Pike has taken up the battle to save 70 jobs at the Lucas plant in the town.

He has raised the job losses with Tony Blair and Energy Minister John Battle.

As well as winning the Prime Minister's sympathy for the workers he has urged him to do more to promote the use of compressed natural gas bottles the threatened staff make.

The Labour backbencher has also put down a Commons motion on the issue.

Mr Pike told Mr Blair at Question Time: "Lucas in my constituency proposes to make redundant next month 70 workers who make compressed natural gas bottles for vehicles. "Do you agree that this country needs to do more to encourage the use of environmentally positive fuels, such as compressed natural gas, for road vehicles of all types.

"Do you agree that such a policy would be good for jobs and the environment?"

Mr Blair replied: "It would, and, of course, we have taken a series of measures, particularly in the foresight vehicle link programme, and in his Budget the Chancellor took measures to promote vehicles that use more environmentally friendly fuel.

"In the end, of course, businesses have to be run as such and I greatly sympathise with the plight of your constituents.

"I know that you recently met Energy Minister John Battle to discuss whatever help we can give."

Mr Pike's Commons motion, which is backed by 11 other MPs including Pendle's Gordon Prentice, said: "We recognise the achievement of Lucas Aerospace workers in Burnley and management in converting from the manufacture of MLRS rocket cases to gas bottles for compressed natural gas as an alternative environmentally-friendly fuel for road vehicles.

"We regret that Ford Motors in the USA have failed to give sufficient orders for this product resulting in Lucas Varity deciding to cease production of gas bottles and make 70 workers redundant in July.

"We hope that Enterprise PLC, Burnley Borough Council, the Lucas Varity Group and unions working with the government will enable a solution to be achieved resulting in increased orders for gas bottles, the cancellation of the redundancies and the use of more environmentally friendly fuels for road vehicles including compressed natural gas."

The battle will enter the European arena next week with a visit to the troubled factory by East Lancashire MEP, Mark Hendrick. He plans to tour the Widow Hill Road site on Monday and meet union officials who have spearheaded the fight to save the works.

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