Ford this week ended production of cars at its Dagenham plant.

Ford has been manufacturing cars at the site since 1931 but in May 2000 decided it would discontinue building cars and concentrate on for the engineering and manufacture of diesel engines.

Forum Response: London First

Michael Charlton, managing director of London First, told ePolitix.com: "It's not all doom and gloom for the car industry in London. Although car assembly at the Ford plant has ceased, it heralds the start of a new era of manufacturing. Over the next four years, Ford will be investing £340 million in developing diesel engines on a 500-acre site east of the Thames Gateway in what is regarded as a model for 'lean' manufacturing and a gateway to sustained employment.

"The land that Ford have sold off offers a multitude of social and economic opportunities: there is arguably more regenerative activity taking place in east London than anywhere else in the country. London needs to cater for continued growth, and the east is where it's happening. More houses and more jobs will mean more opportunity."