Vauxhall factories closed due to coronavirus

By Press Association

March 16 2020, 3:17 pm

Vauxhall’s Luton plant is to temporarily close due to coronavirus (Steve Parsons/PA)

Vauxhall’s major UK manufacturing facilities are to close until March 27 as part of a Europe-wide shutdown by owner PSA Group due to coronavirus.

The brand’s plant in Ellesmere Port will close on Tuesday, while its Luton factory will shut down on Thursday.

PSA Group-owned factories in France, Spain, Germany, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia will also close.

#COVID19: #GroupePSA decides to close its plants in Europe. More information ➡ https://t.co/1hCiP8HPB1 pic.twitter.com/6QPlKDNHTi
— Groupe PSA_EN (@GroupePSA_EN) March 16, 2020

The firm 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.”

A number of other vehicle manufacturers have announced they are temporarily closing plants, including Ford, Fiat Chrysler and Ferrari.