4 December 2007
We received a petition asking:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to require Eurostar UK to retain a direct rail service between Ashford International and Brussels, in order to preserve existing commercial, social and cultural links, to promote regional regeneration and the local tourist industry, and to reduce the need to travel by road and air."
Details of Petition:
"Eurostar UK’s proposals would oblige most of the passengers who at present travel from Ashford to Brussels by rail either to drive to Ebbsfleet, adding to the present congestion on the M25, or to travel by air, in either case significantly increasing carbon emissions."
Read the Government’s response
The opening of Ebbsfleet International Station has led Eurostar to review its overall stopping pattern to reflect the expected future demand at the two stations in Kent. As a consequence, Ashford will lose its Brussels trains but retain three of the current six trains a day to Paris, as well as a weekly service which goes to Avignon in the summer and the French Alps in the winter. Eurostar maintains that 83% of current demand at Ashford will continue to be served with direct services.
The Government has no formal powers over Eurostar’s operational decisions, and Eurostar is at liberty to set its own timetables. Eurostar does have an obligation to operate a sound commercial business. The Department for Transport is satisfied that Eurostar has a strong business rationale to support these changes, but has asked Eurostar for regular briefing about passenger numbers once the changes have been implemented.