Swaythling passenger cars in the UK, leaving the Southampton made Transit as their only British-made vehicle. In 2009, with the new Kocaeli, Turkey, plant in full production, Ford reluctantly halved production at Southampton and reduced the workforce to just over 500. Employing 500 workers, the factory produced up to 35,000 Transit chassis/cab variant vehicles annually, of which 50% were exported. The Ford Southampton plant closed on 26 July 2013. The very first branch of the DIY chain B&Q was opened in Swaythling in 1969. The shop was owned by Messrs Block and Quayle. Swaythling railway station is on the main line
Ben Quayle Award" by the National Taxpayers Union, the "Spirit of Enterprise Award" by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and was given a 98% scorecard by the Club for Growth. Controversy arose after a bill to increase combat pay for military personnel was rejected, and Quayle and David Schweikert high-fived, happy about the bill's failure. After the incident, Maria Meacham, the mother of an active-duty soldier upset about the vote, began shouting from the gallery, and was removed by security. Quayle introduced legislation related to border security, guns, small business, government transparency, and health care and successfully sponsored H.R. 3862, the Sunshine