Interesting news on Eurostar

[hutchingsmusic]

By David Browne [from eTurboNews, a travel industry newsletter]
LONDON (eTurboNews) -- Eurostar train services are to halt London terminal at Waterloo International and transfer its entire operation to the new St. Pancras station when it is completed in 2007. The announcement was made on the tenth anniversary of the start of Eurostar Channel Tunnel services between London and Paris and Brussels.
A move to the north London base was always on the cards as part of the development of a new high-speed line between London and the Channel Tunnel, but the original plans had included keeping open the branch line to Waterloo with some Eurostar services continuing to use it.
The decision to abandon Waterloo International has surprised the travel trade, who had expected the central London base to be maintained for its proximity to London’s main business areas.
Eurostar say St. Pancras International is a better option as its London terminal because the north London station has more Underground (subway) lines and direct national rail links to the Midlands, the north of England and Scotland.
"Following several in-depth studies, we have concluded that it was definitely more advantageous for Eurostar and our travelers to transfer our services to St. Pancras International,” said Paul Charles, Eurostar’s Director of Communications. “We think that this relocation will increase the number of travelers since it will allow better interchange with services to new tourist destinations located in the areas of the Midlands and Yorkshire.”
This points to the possibility of future developments of Eurostar trains traveling directly from Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Newcastle and York through to Paris and Brussels. Business travelers and tourists would then no longer need to change trains and cross London’s congested Underground system when heading for the Continent.
In addition to St. Pancras International and the existing Ashford International station in Kent, two new Eurostar stations will be built on the British section of the high-speed line, Stratford International in east London and Ebbsfleet-Dartford International in Kent serving south-east London.
With the improvements completed in the high-speed lines in the south of England, travel times will be cut to two hours 15 minutes from London to Paris and under two hours between London and Brussels, from city center to city center. This is a major challenge to airlines that require additional time for travel to and from out-lying airports and check-in times longer than Eurostar’s 20 minutes for business passengers.

Comments

[zotz]

I'd thought this was always the idea.

[ixwin.livejournal.com]

me, too.

[colours.livejournal.com]

yeah. it got me all interested when i was living in north london but now that i've moved to the south it's not half so welcome!

[rosie-rhi-bee.livejournal.com]

Brummie 1: Where am you gooin at the weekend bab?

Brummie 2: Up Paris! It's bostin for clothes and that!

It has always been the idea...

[benparker.livejournal.com]

In fact, there are certain time segmennts of the east coast main line that are already assigned to Eurostar services. What this sometime means is that trains cannot use the track whilst Eurostar "passes through" because the international trains (that don't exist) take priority. But Eurostar have paid for the slots, so won't give them up.

Eurostar could run the services now, but the British government have ridiculously strict security standards on trains which prevents it.

I think we should seriously rethink removing London Waterloo as the first point of entry for our French cousins. Unless we get to rename it St Pancras Agincourt.....