Dear Supporter,
This has been a landmark day for the campaign to bring back international trains to Kent. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has given the green light, finally breaking the Eurostar spell and opening the UK international rail market to genuine competition.
We extend our congratulations to Virgin Trains, a company who in their own words like to "wave a bit of magic" to bring innovation to the industry. They have been awarded access to the spare maintenance capacity at the Temple Mills International depot in London.
This decision could be transformative for Kent. Virgin Trains confirmed its commitment to Kent in a letter to Kent County Council’s leader today, stating that they recognise “the significant public interest in the reintroduction of international services at Ebbsfleet and Ashford in Kent. If these stations are reopened, Virgin will of course stop in Kent. We look forward to talking further with you as we explore together how to reopen the stations, as it will require commitment and resources from all parties and operators.”
Rail Minister Lord Hendy has also reiterated his backing, saying:
“We will continue to champion the reopening of Ashford and Ebbsfleet International stations as a priority to restore full connectivity, support tourism and boost growth across the region.”
The potential prize for Kent is enormous — for local businesses the visitor economy, and the many residents who rely on regular travel to the continent for work and family connections. The Good Growth Foundation, in its seminal report, highlights that restoring rail services to Kent could attract 500,000 new visitors to the region, and inject up to £2.7 billion into the local economy over five years through better connectivity.
Currently, Eurostar carries around 11 million passengers a year. With the right operator and investment, that figure has the potential to rise to 35 million. With Kent stations playing their full part we will more readily fulfill these ambitious targets.
BBET looks forward to continuing the dialogue with Virgin Trains as we work with partners and Government to facilitate the reopening of Ashford and Ebbsfleet’s purpose-built international terminals.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours Sincerely,
Alex Bienfait
on behalf of the Bring Back Euro Trains campaign team
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Notes:
1. https://news.kent.gov.uk/articles/kent-is-major-step-closer-to-international-rail-services
2. https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/virgin-s-international-trains-will-stop-in-kent-if-stations-331896/
3. https://www.goodgrowthfoundation.co.uk/light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel