Ashford Locals Urge Eurostar To Reinstate Train Station Services

Ashford’s international train station shut down in 2020 and remains like a time capsule, with magazines from March 2020 still sitting there. Eurostar trains stopped serving Ashford, Ebbsfleet, and Stratford before the pandemic, and people strongly desire the restart of these services.

A businessman reports his firm lost over £1 million since the Ashford station closed. Local leaders emphasize the impact on businesses, which employ over 30,000 Kent residents. People now travel to London to reach Europe, passing their local, closed station in the process.

Keir Starmer was asked about reopening the Kent stations by a local MP in Parliament. People were disappointed when he said the decision rests with Eurostar. Locals want the government to pressure Eurostar, hoping for growth in their struggling town.

One Ashford resident called the closure ‘crazy’, noting the upgraded signals in 2018. He believes Eurostar trains should return and finds the closure opportunistic during Covid. He says it deeply hurts the community and desires competition for Eurostar, stating reopening should be a government priority.

A Green Party representative says hospitality suffers, with hotels and taxis in Ashford struggling considerably. Fewer people visit to travel to Europe now, despite many moving there for transport links. The infrastructure exists unused, and bringing back the trains is crucial.

A French businessman moved to Ashford 27 years ago due to its strong European connections. His business now suffers from the station’s closure, complicating his travel to Europe. Ashford to Paris used to take two hours, but now takes much longer and costs more.

His company lost clients and investments, estimating a loss of around £1 million. He insists the government pressure Eurostar to restore services or face competition. He argues Eurostar only focuses on profit now, but this service should be a public benefit.

A Labour councillor supports giving Eurostar an ultimatum and views selling the government’s stake in Eurostar as a mistake. The government needs action to reopen the stations and must help competitors enter the market. Ashford and other stations remain unused.

He suggests a rival train firm owned by Britain as a possible solution. Businesses in Kent are increasingly feeling the economic impact. Like many locals, the councillor was disappointed by Starmer’s response and thinks the government should push Eurostar harder, as reopening provides a crucial opportunity for growth.

Another councillor shut his shop partly due to the economic downturn caused by the station’s closure. He emphasizes the illogic of traveling to London, only to pass Ashford on the way. Long waits at Dover also contribute to travel difficulties.

The Mayor hasn’t visited Paris since the station closed, despite its proximity compared to the Midlands! One resident stated she used Eurostar all the time and another local echoes the desire for services to return. The town centre is reportedly becoming deserted.

A taxi driver reported a decline in his industry due to the closure. He recalls people arriving in Ashford from everywhere to use the Eurostar. Eurostar’s former CEO attributed the situation to Covid, Brexit, and inflation, citing these as reasons restarting the services is challenging.

Gwendoline Cazenave, the current Eurostar CEO, claims they will review their Kent stations. Before Covid, they served only 4% of their passengers from these stations. Current strategy focuses on efficient and sustainable main stations. This includes modernizing the fleet and addressing competition.