The election of a new government at Westminster has prompted leading figures in Kent to urge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his cabinet to step up pressure on Eurostar to restore stopping services to Kent. Those behind the move hope to garner sufficient support to persuade Eurostar services back to the southeast of England.
Following the closure of Ashford and Ebbsfleet Eurostar stations in Kent in March 2020, the company has said it would remain closed throughout 2024 and 2025. To date tens of thousands of people have signed a petition to bring back services that had given people in Kent access to Eurostar trains linking Paris and Brussels with London St Pancras International from Ashford International and Ebbsfleet International stations.
A petition set up by local residents has attracted nearly 60,000 names and pressure is also being applied by local business and political leaders in what is called “the Garden of England.” All are concerned at what they see as the lack of international rail services stopping in Kent, which they say has badly hit the local economy and also acts as a disincentive for UK visitors to mainland Europe and vice versa. The campaigners also believe there should be more competition to Eurostar in operating services to and from Europe.
Our @kenteurotrains petition data shows strong demand for the return of international rail services to Ashford & Ebbsfleet. With an est. populations of 1.37m within 40 km of Ashford & 2.03m within 20 km of Ebbsfleet, we have big pools of potential customers. #BringBackEuroTrains pic.twitter.com/DMQYYv35x4
— Cllr Diccon Spain (@dicconspain) May 30, 2024
“It’s great to see the number of people who have got behind this petition, which is a clear indication of the demand from people across the South East for international train services from Kent’s two existing international stations,” said the group behind the Bring Back Eurotrains petition. “We hope that we can help provide a collective voice for the residents and show any international rail service provider the substantial opportunities of running services that link the regional hub stations of Ashford and Ebbsfleet to Calais, Lille, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and beyond.”
Business leaders have shared their views on the impact the loss of this international link has had on the Kent economy over the past four years, calling for action to resolve the issue with Eurostar restoring services or steps taken to open up the Channel Tunnel Rail Link to other operators.
“The businesses in Kent have become increasingly frustrated and annoyed at the lack of engagement from Eurostar on the matter of recommencing services from Ashford. This lack of communication infers that Eurostar has no intention of resuming services despite past promises,” said Tudor Price, CEO of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.
Highlighting the investment local and international businesses have poured into upgrading the platforms in Kent, Price explained “there is a wider economic gain to be had here with little or no detriment to their profitability.”
If an amicable compromise can’t be reached, then clearly the monopoly Eurostar hold isn’t working for the economy and changes need to be made to introduce competition.
Tudor Price, CEO of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce
Locate in Kent, which provides free, confidential support to employers setting up, expanding and relocating to the county, is also supporting key partners including Ashford Borough Council, Kent County Council and Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce in pressing the case for urgent action to restore services lost since 2020.
“It’s not acceptable for London alone to be reaping all the rewards and prestige of the UK’s only cross channel link with Europe. For Kent and the wider South-East region to compete and continue to attract more high-skilled, well-paid jobs, we need those trains back,” said Locate in Kent’s CEO, Nick Fenton. “With the new government’s focus on restoring economic growth: it’s vital that ministers put on the pressure to bring services back to Ebbsfleet and Ashford, whether that’s Eurostar or another operator. With clarity on the new EU entry and exit system, due for launch this October and an appetite for improved relations with our largest trading partner there is no longer any excuse.”
The closure of the two stations does not only affect the local businesses that trade with the EU but “the entire county, with money being sucked out of local economies,” explained Dev Biswal, chef and owner of The Cook’s Tale. When the stations were open tourists were more inclined to visit Kent, either as a destination in itself or simply making a stopover on their way to London or the mainland.
