 The complex is due to close next year |
A miners' leader has said the government should be spending its money on trying to keep the pits at Selby open. His comments follow government approval for �11m to be allocated for regeneration in the area once the coalfield closes next year.
But Steve Kemp, from the National Union of Mineworkers, says the arguments for keeping the pits open are being ignored.
He said: "It's a situation that should never have occurred
"The government's attitude since the closure was announced has been one of automatically going into the area with a regeneration argument."
Last year UK Coal announced the closure of its Riccall, Stillingfleet, Wistow and Gascoigne Wood operations by the spring of 2004.
The complex currently employs approximately 2,000 workers although around 300 miners are expected to be transferred to other pits.
The regeneration money comes after a task force was set up by the regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, in July 2002 to examine ways of helping the Selby area.
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