Margate, Maidstone and London: the most exotic places you can reach from Ashford International Station. currently. And partly because of Brexit, there is no prospect of trains to Paris, Lille and Brussels resume at any time soon.
Eurostar, which runs passenger train service between London St. Pancras International and Continental Europe, said it would not reopen Ashford International or its other Kent station, Ebbsfleet International, in 2023 as expected. train driver added: “We cannot assume any obligations for two or three more years.
It follows that 2025 is the earliest any station can expect to launch. on in international route network.
Both stations on high speed 1, main line from London to the Channel Tunnel. Ebbsfleet, off the M25 in north Kent was purpose built as an amusement park. location for travelers are heading for continent.
Ashford station was refurbished in cost of hundreds of millions of pounds for accommodation international Services.
They closed shortly after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Eurostar blames “unsure and fragile environment» after the coronavirus pandemic for their further closure.
The company’s announcement says Independent: “Our recovery progressing well, but we have significant financial post-pandemic commitments that we will continue face for number of years.
“We must focus on our most profitable routes between capitals, allowing us meet our financial commitment to stabilize our work and our customer experience before considering any further developments.”
But Eurostar also points to added wider complexity like result of Brexit, saying “Our border environment It has also toughened post Brexit and further complications are expected with launch of EU entry-exit system.
UK Brexit Agreement government requires British travelers to be treated as third-country nationals, facing additional barriers on entry to the European Union.
Instead of of just checking travel documents for reality, border guards must stamp all passports and, at least in theory, question the traveler about his intentions, financial resources and further journey plans.
The entry-exit system, which should be put into operation from November 2023, designed to facilitate such checks. This is automated IT system for registration of travelers from outside EU and Schengen area.
Every time a traveler crosses an external EU border, system register the date and place of entry and exit, plus fingerprints and facial biometrics.
system, says The European Union will “replace current system of hand stamping of passports, which takes a lot of time, does not provide reliable data on border crossing and allow systematic discovery of over-stayers.
British travelers are now limited to 90 days of stay in any 180 days, but checks currently depend on look at the stamps in the passport and act haphazardly.
Eurostar will not comment further, but the company already warned a parliamentary committee of the potential impact of in new enter exit system on his operations.
Gareth Williams, strategy director for Eurostar, told peers on house of Committee of the Lords of Justice and Home Affairs: “We do not currently see a practical solution. If we take the peak of August, up up to 80 percent of people have to go through system.
“We have a very extreme space challenge. At a minimum, we need over 30 stalls and area about size of our entire check in area to St. Pancras.”
Requirement for biometrics will not apply to EU citizens.
Mark Smith, international the railroad expert known as Man in Seat 61, tweeted: Eurostar just confirmed that it would not call in Ebbsfleet/Ashford in 2023, with Brexit (so far again) part of in problem”.
Eurostar’s statement about Ashford and Ebbsfleet ended with “We understand this will be disappointing.” for local communities and we will continue work close and open with local councils on in future of stations.”
In the 2016 EU referendum, Ashford voted 59–41. in service of leave the European Union.
