Press Release from BBET (Alex Bienfait)
Bring Back Euro Trains (BBET) welcomes Channel Tunnel operator Getlink’s optimistic outlook on international rail growth, expressed at the all-party parliamentary rail group meeting (19 November 2024). With both Virgin Rail and Evolyn presenting plans for new cross-channel services, the potential for expanded international rail connections looks promising.
Two critical barriers to international expansion
However, two critical barriers threaten this expansion. Evolyn highlighted the urgent need for new operators to access the Temple Mills service depot in East London, currently leased exclusively to Eurostar. Additionally, BBET notes with concern that the Schengen Zone’s new EU Entry/Exit System (EES), due to launch on 11 November 2024, faces indefinite delay – an issue surprisingly not discussed at the meeting.
“The dual challenges of depot access and EES implementation could seriously delay the launch of much-needed competition on cross-channel routes,” says Alex Bienfait, BBET Interim Chair. “While we welcome Getlink’s optimism about growth potential, without urgent government intervention to address these practical barriers, Kent’s communities risk missing out on the significant economic benefits these services could bring.”
Existing assets under-utilised
“These are services that would grow the international rail market – in fact actually give us a real market for the first time, rather than the monopoly we’ve had for the past 30 years,” says Diccon Spain, BBET Political Liaison Officer. “Our existing assets are severely underutilised: HS1, our only high-speed line, is running at just 50% of its potential capacity, the Channel Tunnel at just 40%, while the international facilities at Ashford, Ebbsfleet, and Stratford International – all paid for with public money – sit unused.”
The Government must take an active strategic role
Central government intervention is now crucial to enable international rail growth through fair access to facilities for new operators and proactive engagement with the EU on EES implementation. “Simply leaving everything to case-by-case regulation isn’t enough,” adds Spain. “The Government must step up and take an active strategic role in creating and maintaining a genuinely level playing field for everyone. This is critical to our prosperity and growth as a country.”
Support for international rail services from Kent continues to grow
Encouragingly, Evolyn CEO Jorge Cosmen acknowledged “potential demand from Ashford International”, focusing on growing the overall market without compromising existing Eurostar services. This aligns with BBET’s campaign aims for Kent’s international stations.
Support for international rail services continues to grow, with BBET’s petition now exceeding 60,000 signatures. Kent County Council research suggests restoring and expanding these services could create approximately 30,000 jobs across Kent.
Government has to ‘step up’ on international rail
Diccon Spain, BBET Political Liaison Officer, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Labour Group at Ashford Borough Council, comments further:
“Back in April we heard, then Shadow Transport Minister, Louise Haigh’s speech on Labour’s plans for railways which included her talking about ending the drift in domestic rail strategy, and there was some really good stuff on domestic rail, but nothing about international rail. That silence on international rail has continued, with nothing said about international rail by the Transport Minister either in her main speech at September’s Labour Party Conference or since.”
“I do not blame Eurostar, they are just following commercial imperatives. If any of us was Eurostar sitting comfortably in this monopoly position we would probably be doing the same thing. While we have regulatory processes through the Office of Rail and Road (ORR)*, simply leaving everything to case-by-case regulation isn’t enough. If the pioneer operator, Eurostar, holds all the best positions, then the new operators come in at a disadvantage, and will not gain the market share they plan for. This is exactly why the Government has to step up and take an active strategic role in creating and maintaining a genuinely level playing field for everyone.”
*Editor’s note. ORR has just released the form submitted to them by Evolyn making a formal complaint that Eurostar has not replied to their 2023 request for access to the Temple Mills depot in 2026
About Bring Back Euro Trains
International train services from Kent stations Ashford and Ebbsfleet were suspended during the pandemic and never reinstated. The campaign is managed by a small group of dedicated volunteers working together for the good of Ashford and Ebbsfleet, Kent, and cross-channel international rail networks generally.
For more information about the campaign see their website: bringbackeurotrains.com. You can also contact them through their dedicated email address: info@bringbackeurotrains.com. The webinar from March 2024 is still available on their YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@BringBackEuroTrains.
