Transport [1]: Kent to Calais commuter rail link receives support at Ashford meeting [2]
Posted by editor on Oct 22, 2011 - 08:55 AM
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A growing
interest for a cross-Channel metro rail commuter link utilising the Channel Tunnel
emerged from business leaders and politicians meeting in Ashford.
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The gathering, held last week, focussed on the possibility of a 25-minute train service between Ashford and Calais.
Le Figaro newspaper quoted French company boss, Olivier Cadic, who has
based his business in Ashford saying: "We have a hard time recruiting
because the high costs of accommodation in Kent mean people on modest
salaries find it hard to live here yet just on the other side of the
Channel, in Calais, there's 25 percent unemployment."
The possibility of a cross channel rail link is supported by Jacques
Gounon, the Eurotunnel chief executive, who said he thought a regular
service between Kent and the Nord-Pas de Calais region would help boost
the economy by letting people commute to work on either side of the
Channel.
Earlier in the month Eurotunnel indicated it would offer cash incentives
to launch the service.
The Kent Online website reported M Gounon saying: "We cannot understand
why such a connection doesn't already exist.
"I'm willing to make some discounts if tolls are an issue because I
believe we must take the lead."
SNCF, the French train operator has a number of trains which could run
through the tunnel and the UK's high-speed Javelin trains which operate
in Kent could also be used without any technical modification.
The French Consul General in London is optimistic but demand would have
to be sufficient before the link was set up.
The tunnel is currently used for Eurostar high-speed train services
between London, Paris, Lille and Brussels as well as Eurotunnel trains
which carry cars and trucks between Calais and Cheriton.
It is understood UK train company South Eastern Trains has not yet made
a decision although a French study is expected to be published next
month.
Just 55 percent of the tunnel's capacity is currently used.
Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast
News 2011©
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Comments
A great idea would benefit both East Kent economy and Pas de Calais
How about a feeder bus service to Folkestone?
Bet Crosskeys and Buzzlines wouldn't like it but Folkestone people would
Yes this will help reduce Calais unemployment levels but seriously, how does this help Ashford?! It will take away job vacancies from locals and money earned from the French workers here will be taken from our community and spent in France.
Apart from increasing unemployment and taking money out of the local economy in Ashford, this is an awesome idea!!!!
This workers mobility will enable companies on both sides to hire a crossborder workforce who will help us to handle the best purchasing options as well as opening ways to increase their markest share on both markets at almost zero cost.
This, by itself, will attract attention from overseas investors who be looking at setting up their offices on this new euro cross border region...
Marcus: Economics is NOT zero-sum. A commuter rail service between Pas-de-Calais and Kent may mean some jobs in Kent going to French people commuting across the Channel, but there is NOT a finite ungrowable supply of jobs; what about the jobs that will be created by businesses that start up or move into SE Kent because of the more convenient transport links with mainland Europe? And whether French workers spend money in France or the UK, it is the UK economy that benefits from the work they do in the UK.
Other benefits of this proposal include competition with Eurostar in the passenger train market. It's narrow to assume that this will only be used by French commuters; it will be of use to ANYONE who wants to travel between the UK and mainland Europe without a car. It is essentially a normal 'walk up, buy a ticket and hop on' train service across the Channel (unlike Eurostar, which needs to be booked in advance unless you want to pay an exorbitant fare). Many people would probably prefer to use a slightly slower service to travel to France, if it had considerably cheper walk-up fares. [I would likely use it in preference to Eurostar, and I live in Kingston upon Thames.] And of course, if you live in Kent, having a regular train service to France from Ashford would make travel to Europe much more convenient than it is at the moment, when normally you have to double-back via Ebbsfleet or even St Pancras (not to mention the similar detour you may have to make in France if you want to travel to Pas-de-Calais). And anyway I thought the people of south-east kent were always complaining that not enough international trains stop at Ashford. Well here's the solution. Yet you seem to think that Kent should NOT have a convenient rail link to mainland Europe just because as a result some jobs might go to non-locals.
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