Tyre maker Goodyear is to make 180 workers redundant at its Wolverhampton plant.

The US-owned company blamed its decision on high production costs, a low European demand for tyres and poor sales for replacements.

Wolverhampton Council has called an emergency meeting to discuss the redundancies, which could be made as early as the New Year.

The announcement came after Goodyear warned of job cuts last week.

It would halve production at the plant from 6,000 tyres a day to 3,000.

Competitive performance

The plant's production director Hugh Thompson said: "Our first priority is an open dialogue with our associates, their union representatives and public authorities.

"Undoubtedly the Wolverhampton plant's poor competitive performance, as it relates to overall cost and productivity, had a bearing on decisions involving production requirements."

Goodyear has had to tell the Department of Trade and Industry that it intends to make part of its 1,300-strong workforce redundant.

Union leaders, Goodyear and the Employment Service are being called to the meeting to discuss the impact on workers.