COURT proceedings have been launched for a test case which could force motoring giant Ford to rescue former Visteon workers’ pensions.

Visteon UK – set up by Ford to run its car component factory, in Christopher Martin Road, Basildon – went into administration in April 2009.

The closure left more than 600 people out of work at the Basildon plans and others in Enfield and Belfast.

Former workers claim Ford promised them the same pay and conditions as its own staff when Visteon took over the plants.

However, Visteon’s pension scheme was virtually worthless after Visteon went broke and Ford has so far refused to step in.

The Unite union wants to force Ford to accept responsibility for staff pensions.

A test case at London’s High Court, involving long-term former Ford and Visteon worker Dennis Varney, 60, is its latest attempt to achieve this.

Mr Varney, of the Lindens, Langdon Hills, paid into Ford’s pension fund for 32 years, then into Visteon’s for a further five.

If the court rules Ford should take back responsibility for his pension, it would open the way for hundreds of other claims.

Mr Varney said: “I’m hoping this will set a precedent for the rest of the Visteon pensioners who were badly let down by Ford.

“I was loyal, both to Ford and to Visteon, and paid into the pension scheme all those years, like so many others. Ford owes us.”

A pre-trial session has already been held at the High Court and the main hearing, which could take as long as ten days, is likely to start in autumn 2012.

A Ford spokesman said: “While Ford recognises the severity of the situation for former Visteon UK employees, Visteon became an independent company in 2000 and was responsible for its own business decisions.”