News

Cross channel passengers are switching to the 'Chunnel' in an effort to cut their carbon footprint claim Eurotunnel, after numbers soared to nearly a million since the start of the year.

The group, which last month saw its £6 billion debt restructured, said that customers were turning their back on cross-Channel ferries and airlines because of concerns about carbon emissions.

A spokesman said that cross-Channel ferries typically emitted 20 to 30 times more CO2 than Eurotunnel’s trains.

Eurotunnel carried 955,510 cars through the ‘Chunnel’ in the six months to June 30, up 8 per cent on a year ago.

A trading update from Eurotunnel added that the number of trucks using its service rose 9 per cent in the first half to 707,422.

Total revenue rose 7 per cent to £252 million despite a 14 per cent drop in rail freight.

Eurotunnel shares halved in value last week after being re-listed in both Paris and London but were unchanged at €0.37 in Paris today (11 July).