It's almost five years since the last Eurostar train stopped at Ashford International. A transport campaign group is marking the occasion with a call for what it describes as "a concerted effort" from MPs in East Sussex and Kent to help restore the service.
International services from Ashford were halted at the start of the pandemic in 2020, with operator Eurostar maintaining trains will not stop at the station until 2026 at least.
Whilst the company has ruled out any return to services at Ashford, which would allow travellers from Rye to avoid the need to extend their journey via London, it has restarted services to Amsterdam and Rotterdam from the capital from this week.
Transport Futures East Sussex says the lack of international rail connections to and from Ashford has been to the detriment of would be tourists and to residents of both Kent and East Sussex. The campaigners say it also makes environmental and economic sense to restore the service.
Derrick Coffee from Transport Futures East Sussex says restoring the Eurostar link at Ashford International is vital for tourism in Rye and the surrounding area. "It would open up huge opportunities for visitors to enjoy holidays and short breaks on offer in our coastal and historic towns. Doors to this would be wide open again for all to share - especially those ‘near continent’ populations currently denied a vital Eurostar link - while the publicly funded International Station hub sadly and annoyingly lies dormant."
He says Ashford International should play a much bigger role as a transport hub. "For East Sussex and Kent residents, near continent short breaks will again be possible without the costly trek to St Pancras International, while steadily expanding European international rail services will become accessible, removing the need to fly, so replacing short haul flights: that would help our efforts to reduce carbon emissions."
Next year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the first Eurostar service to stop at the newly redesigned Ashford International. An £80 million construction scheme was completed ahead of the first train on January 8 1996.
In January this year Sir Kier Starmer also called for the service to return at Ashford. Speaking at Prime Minster's Question Time he told MPs: "I know this is an issue of considerable frustration, but the decision in question is ultimately for Eurostar. We are keen to see international services reinstated to Ashford as soon as possible.”
