Locals in Ashford, UK, are petitioning for the Eurostar’s return to revitalize the town’s economy post-pandemic.
The town center feels “depressing” without the train. The station used to be busy and international with magazines from March 2020 still sitting there.
Eurostar bypasses Ashford, Ebbsfleet, and Stratford. These stations have been empty since the pandemic began. Areas around them are also struggling. Kent councillors miss 30,000 jobs linked to Eurostar. Residents miss easy trips to Paris or Brussels.
Now, they travel to London just to pass Ashford. MP Sojan Joseph raised the issue in Parliament. Prime Minister Starmer supports reopening the stations. However, residents think Eurostar should decide.
Locals want the government to pressure Eurostar. They hope it will help the town grow again. One resident calls the station’s closure “crazy.” It had a £10m upgrade in 2018. Giles believes Eurostar should return.
He thinks the closure was sneaky during COVID. People want Eurostar back after lockdown. Steve Sitton says Ashford’s economy suffers. Hotels and taxis lost business from Europe.
He says people moved there for train access. This resource is gone, which is a shame. Councillor Diccon Spain wants Eurostar to get an ultimatum. He thinks government sold its Eurostar stake too early.
He says growth opportunities are big if they reopen. Dover delays deter European travel now. The former Eurostar CEO cited COVID and Brexit issues. Inflation also stopped station revival plans.
Current CEO Gwendoline Cazenave will reassess later. The Kent stations had few passengers before the pandemic. The focus stays on London’s core routes right now.