Coronavirus: Two major car plants shut down over virus fears

Carmakers including Fiat, Peugeot and Volkswagen have cut production at their European plants as the coronavirus crisis combined with plunging demand.

Vauxhall plants at Ellesmere Port and Luton are on the list to be closed, after owner PSA reacted to the increase in cases of the virus.

PSA said its decision to stop production was thanks 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".

Production at Ellesmere Port will close on Tuesday, 17 March, with Luton being halted on Thursday, 19 March.

"The site management teams will implement the site closure procedures locally, which will be done in coordination with the social partners," PSA said in a statement.

Production is currently scheduled to begin again on March 27.

Plants are shutting across Europe (Getty Images)

Worker representatives in Italy, France, Belgium and Germany have demanded stricter controls on hygiene, disinfection and isolation for employees working heel-to-heel on Europe's production lines.

Audi said it was struggling to keep production running at its plant in Brussels, Belgium, because some workers had downed tools over concerns they were exposing themselves to the virus.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is halting production for two weeks at most of its European plants to help protect staff and adjust to a slump in demand, the Italian-American carmaker said.

Measures in Italy were agreed after all-night talks with companies and trade union leaders to introduce tighter controls on workplace practices and cleaning protocols, as well as steps to encourage more home-working, Economy Ministry undersecretary Pier Paolo Baretta said.

Last week, some Spanish plants of the Renault-Nissan alliance and Volkswagen's Spanish division Seat announced temporary stoppages that could last for days or weeks.

Volkswagen also said on Sunday it was preparing to suspend operations at its plant in Bratislava after Slovakia declared a state of emergency in response to the virus.