The
government


has
announced
a
new
collaboration
with
France
on
cross-Channel
transport,
saying
the
aim
is
to
take
‘ambitious
action’
over
decarbonisation,
confirm
a
new
regulatory
framework
following
Brexit
and
encourage
more
rail
operators
to
run
international
services.

Eurostar
said:
‘Eurostar
welcomes
the
UK-France
declaration
as
a
meaningful
step
toward
further
improving
cross-Channel
connectivity.
Eurostar’s
CEO,
Gwendoline
Cazenave,
was
proud
to
join
President
Macron’s
official
business
delegation
during
his
State
Visit,
underlining
the
importance
of
strong
Franco-British
economic
ties
and
the
vital
role
international
rail
plays
in
that
relationship.

‘Eurostar
is
growing
fast.
In
2024,
we
carried
19.5
million
passengers
across
our
network
–
a
5
per
cent
increase
on
the
previous
year,
with
London-Paris
route
seeing
280,000
more
travellers.
The
focus
is
now
to
invest
€2
billion
in
50
new
trains
and
to
grow
direct
services
from
London
to
Frankfurt
and
Geneva
to
reach
an
ambitious
target
of
carrying
30
million
passengers
annually.

‘We
look
forward
to
working
closely
with
both
governments
to
ensure
the
cross-Channel
network
can
meet
future
demand
and
deliver
more
sustainable
journeys
across
Europe.’

The
announcement
has
come
as
several
potential
open
access
operators
are
continuing
their
efforts
to
launch
services
in
competition
with
Eurostar
but
capacity
at
Temple
Mills
depot
in
east
London
is
under
pressure,
and
so
far
no
solution
to
this
problem
has
been
revealed.

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