Ashford, UK, faces economic woes after Eurostar ceased services. Locals express frustration over lost jobs and hindered travel.
A businessman lost over £1 million after moving to Ashford for its European business access. Local leaders say Kent lost around 30,000 jobs. People used to easily travel to Paris or Brussels, but now, London adds extra time and costs for travel.
Locals are frustrated with the extra travel and having to pass their local, unused station on the way to Europe. An MP asked the Prime Minister about the issue, but the Prime Minister said Eurostar decides.
People in Ashford want government help and pressure on Eurostar to reopen stations. They believe it would help the town’s economy. A resident called the closed station “crazy” and mentioned signal upgrades costing £10 million.
The resident thinks Eurostar left quietly during COVID and believes it was sneaky. He said people want the Eurostar back because it brought visitors to Ashford. He wished for another train company to compete and called spending money on the station wasteful, even suggesting protesting on the tracks.
A local Green Party member, who owns a business, said the Eurostar loss hurts Ashford’s businesses. Hotels and taxis have less business due to less travel, as people used to stay overnight before their train.
He thinks not using Ashford’s station is a tragedy and that funding new projects is mad. He wants the station back. A French business owner settled in Ashford for its transport and said Eurostar stopping has hurt his business.
He said travel to Europe is now harder, as it used to take less than two hours to Paris. Now it’s longer and requires a hotel. His business lost clients and investments, leading to a loss of around £1 million. He wants the government to pressure Eurostar.
He thinks Eurostar cares only about profit, despite believing it is a public service. He said Ashford had little before Eurostar and thinks government help is easy and would send a good signal.
A local councillor supports a firm stance against Eurostar and questioned selling the UK’s Eurostar stake. He said the UK government must drive reopening and wants a fair chance for competitors, believing there’s a huge chance for growth.
The Ashford station gathers dust, and platforms at Ashford, Ebbsfleet, and Stratford lay dormant. With Heathrow’s third runway years away, he believes Eurostar is a chance for growth now. He finds it upsetting to waste this asset as it would help the economy and create jobs.
He wants fast action and government help, as well as a British Eurostar rival. He said 30,000 jobs were lost in Kent and wants the government to be proactive. He thinks growth is right in front of them.
A local shop owner closed his shop after COVID, citing Eurostar as a contributing factor. He thinks reopening makes sense economically and environmentally and that traveling to London to pass Ashford is nonsense.
Dover’s port and tunnel have long delays, making people hesitant to travel to Europe by those routes. A mayor hasn’t been to Paris since the Eurostar stopped, noting that Paris is closer than the Midlands.
A resident moved to Kent specifically for the Eurostar, using it to go to Paris or Brussels for lunch. She doesn’t understand the problem and said it was great for Ashford and is a shame. Another resident believes the service should return.
She said the station is empty, not broken, and people looked forward to having it. Traveling to London wastes time, and the town center has declined since. A taxi driver said his business has suffered.
The taxi driver said the Eurostar should return, adding that people came from everywhere to use it. Eurostar’s former CEO said the pandemic and Brexit made things hard, while the current CEO will review the Kent stations.
The current CEO says four percent of passengers boarded in Kent and that they are maintaining an open dialogue. They value relationships in Kent and Ashford, focusing on efficiency and sustainability and wanting to invest for the future.
They are modernizing the trains and addressing competition. Growth was never as strong as services from London, and passenger numbers remained flat, according to the CEO. They will review reopening Kent services later.
They made progress on infrastructure at St Pancras and hope to offer more services. They know the political landscape and will keep evaluating options, engaging with stakeholders.