Honda creates 500 jobs at Swindon plant

The plant is to become a worldwide production centre for the five-door Honda Civic

Honda is to create 500 new jobs at its Swindon factory as it prepares to start manufacturing vehicles for the US market.

The company has invested £200 million in the plant to make it a worldwide production centre for the five-door Honda Civic.

The Japanese car manufacturer will hire 150 staff before Christmas, with another 350 recruited by spring. All new employees will be given two-year fixed term contracts.

Production on the next-generation Civic will begin next summer as annual production levels are expected to increase from 110,000 vehicles to 150,000 by the end of March 2017.

The news comes 18-months after Honda announced 500 job losses at the plant following a fall in demand for its vehicles in Europe.