British Steel prepares to close its coke plant

"We will continue to close the coke plant in the coming months, and we are pleased to say that all employees affected by this decision will be offered alternative roles in the business. We know this is a difficult time for everyone and I would like to thank our people and unions for their professionalism throughout the consultation process," said a company spokesman.

The firm says the coke plant at the company's integrated steelmaking facility in Scunthorpe is nearing the end of its useful life and closing them will bring environmental benefits, including reductions in air and water emissions.

The spokesman said: "We are still waiting for the British government to adopt the right policies and frameworks now to support our ambition to be a clean, green and successful company. Governments in the countries where our main competitors operate have adopted such policies, and the longer we wait for them to be implemented in the UK, the more impact this will have on our competitiveness and on the country's ability to meet carbon targets.”