VAUXHALL chief executive Nick Reilly has confirmed future car production and a third shift at its Ellesmere Port site.

Delivering his vision for the future of the Opel/Vauxhall European brand, the former Ellesmere Port plant director said the Cheshire site will make the current new Astra model as well as the Astra Sports Tourer (estate) which will lead to the introduction of a third shift by the middle of next year.

Ellesmere Port unions are also confident of securing the right to build the Ampera electric car.

Plant union convenor John Fetherstone welcomed the news, saying the 2,000-strong workforce expected a return to three shift working when Vauxhall parent General Motors rejected a buy-out bid by Canadian car parts maker Magna last November.

He said: “We knew we were going to go to three shifts when they didn’t go with Magna.”

Reinhold Hoben, Opel/ Vauxhall executive director manufacturing, said the Ampera – which will operate independent of petrol propulsion – will initially be built in America but will be moved to a European plant, although no decision has been made yet on where it could be produced. Mr Fetherstone added: “We are capable of building the Ampera and should be the prime candidate for it.”

Mr Reilly said the business plan “offers a realistic road map to business success.

“All of this is made possible with the help of what I believe is the industry’s most dedicated workforce.”

He outlined proposals to invest 11bn euros between now and 2014 in the business which he forecast will break even next year and “make a decent profit” by 2012.