This week Labour colleagues and I from across the South East met with the Transport Minister, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill. We were all very pleased that the Government will be backing our efforts to bring European travel back to Kent.
The case for international travel to Kent could not be clearer. The infrastructure is already in place at both Ashford and Ebbsfleet – which has cost taxpayers around £80 million and is now – due to broken promises by Eurostar – just sat there rotting away.
Eurostar had been operating services in Ashford to and from the continent for almost 30 years. In 2020 they decided to halt services – despite several promises that they would do no such thing. The issue stems from the privatisation of the company. Until 2015 The Government had some control over passenger services passing through the channel tunnel – 40% of Eurostar belonged to the United Kingdom. In a short-sighted move by the Tory-Lib Dem Coalition, the Government’s shares in Eurostar were sold off for £757.1m in 2015. As a result, Eurostar now operates as a privatised foreign operator of which the Government has no real jurisdiction over – this of course is a concern to anyone who wants to see the stops reinstated in Kent.
Eurostar are arguing that there is a concern about the new Entry Exit System (EES) coming into effect and they are still in the process of paying off large loans taken out during the pandemic – and of course they are a private company ran for profit and want to fully maximise their potential margins. There is no doubt that the Tory Brexit deal has left many businesses who rely on travel between Britain and the Continent struggling but we are seeing a clear change in direction under this Government. The Prime Minister has clearly signalled that we want a closer relationship with our closest neighbours. This will have an effect on the chances of European travel returning to Ashford – something I asked him about on the first PMQs after Christmas recess. The Prime Minister stated; “Businesses in his constituency have been badly let down by the deal made by the last Government. We are resetting and strengthening that relationship, on the economy, energy and security, to deliver the growth we need.”
There is no doubt, have an opportunity to unlock a huge amount of untapped growth across the region if we can find a way to reinstate the stops. A study by Kent County Council reported the number of businesses that had been affected or had concerns over the loss of European travel equated to around 30,000 jobs, the equivalent to c.£750m of GVA to the national economy. The effect on our communities and regional economy has been devastating – there has been millions of pounds in lost revenue across the county and wider region. If we can bring the stops back to Ashford International and Ebbsfleet International, we have a chance to bring the jobs back along with them.
I recently met with London St. Pancras Highspeed, formerly HS1 the company who operate the line and through the South East. It is also the line used by Eurostar. At the meeting they recognised the benefits of restoring European travel to Kent and put forward positive suggestions to bring the stops back, including incentives and concessions for operators. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) also recently announced that prices for operators on the HS1 line – including Eurostar – should be cut by 10.4% – making it cheaper for Eurostar to travel through Kent.
We have also seen Ashford’s tourism industry recover since Eurostar left in 2020. 4.5 million people visited Ashford Borough in 2023 – a 32% increase from 2021. We’ve also seen a 7% increase in overseas tourism compared to pre-pandemic levels. It’s clear the demand is here for international travel; we just need an operator to deliver it.
Although so far it has been a struggle there are positive signs. The clear show of Government support and the chances of a rival operator breaking Eurostar’s current monopoly is looking increasingly likely. Last month Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin were – according to The Telegraph – “plotting” a £500 million bid for channel tunnel services – something which would be truly welcomed if true.
The campaign to bring European travel back will not be easy. This is something we all must accept. However, it is fantastic to have the support of the Government and the potential new operators on the horizon. This is a project which may take the entire parliament to complete. However, if we remain committed, continue to meet with any relevant companies, operators – such as Virgin or Evolyn – and maintain the dialogue we have opened with the Department for Transport, this is something we could
potentially achieve.
The campaign to bring European travel back to Ashford and Ebbsfleet will not be easy, but our case is very strong
