January 2008
A passenger from Brussels writes;
“We are currently using Eurotunnel. Our son, however, came down from Nottingham to stay with us at Christmas, using Eurostar. He said ONE person got on the train at Ebbsfleet. Perhaps that is why they do not want to show their statistics”.
What a cheek!
January 21st
Today, I returned to Ashford from Brussels via Lille.
The early train has a shorter waiting time in Lille and as you have to go through check-in and customs again you do at least have a warm Eurostar lounge to wait in on the return leg to the UK.
However, at the entrance to the scanner, there is a poster of a naked London Bobby about to run across a football field. This is obviously part of the French advertising campaign. Perhaps Eurostar board members do not realise just how continentals view their enforcers of law and order. The police tend to be feared; despised and even hated thus this poster is exceedingly inappropriate.
The yob advert was deemed by the advertising standards agency in Brussels as being lacking in social responsibility and denigrating the British people. It contravenes acts1, 4 &12 and Eurostar was asked to cease using it. Eurostar has apparently said that the campaign was over. However, the other ads are still up in the Eurostar lounge in Brussels where the naked man is still running around the revolving door.
A passenger’s view of the Euro Disney train
Quite apart from the difficulty in booking a seat on the very crowded Disneyland train, I have found myself sharing a table with a family of four (one under 3 years squeezing-in). As much as I like children, this is not fair on the family in question, neither is it fair on me having paid for a 1st class ticket. Invariably, many of the families on the train have already travelled long distances, they are tired and the children fractious.
As I travel so often, I have heard many complaints about the lack of Ashford stopping trains. Those who used to use Waterloo have no advantage from the 20 minute high speed saving and in many cases these passengers, quite apart from those of us living in the Southeast corner of England, would prefer to still use Ashford rather than transit across London by tube or taxi. It has been reported that the current services have severely inconvenienced 60% of Eurostar’s regular passengers and I have every reason to believe this. I used to look forward to my Eurostar journeys, now I dread them.
January 24th 2008
I am off to Brussels – once again on the Euro Disney train – to celebrate Burns night. On the platform, I met some business people from Lille (whom I had already encountered on a previous visit). They were once more bemoaning the loss of services from Ashford where they have a business. They used to travel weekly but can no longer afford to do so as they cannot do a return journey on the same day. Having to pay for hotel accommodation as well as lose time in the home office means they come over only once a month. There were three people so that was nine trips lost to Eurostar just this month.
Another passenger from Lille expresses continental woes as follows;
It seems to be impossible to get a return Lille-Ashford for less than 300 euros now and all the trains are booked up ages in advance. We are informed at Lille-Europe station that this is because so many people want to go to Ashford that there aren’t enough places on the very few trains that stop there. I have to go to Canterbury and back for work in March and am dreading it.
Also, one of my Canterbury colleagues who had to travel from Ebbsfleet recently complains that his trip took 3 hours longer, there was no proper food on sale at Ebbsfleet at the hour he was there and the security checks were so long they were ridiculous. All in all he never wants to go there again, but as he doesn’t drive, he has no choice.
February 4th - an Ashford commuter’s tale
Well, I’ve been using Ebbsfleet for over two months now and using various ways to get to and from, including public transport to get back home – near Canterbury. This takes me no less that 1.45hrs: wait for “fast track” bus to Gravesend station, get train to Chatham, change, get train to Faversham, wife picks up and drives home- adding at the very least 1.30hrs to my journey. Now it is worth thinking of flying.
Very few people get the bus (how long will that last?); which means that 98% use their car to get to Ebbsfleet. - wiping out any “tread lightly” nonsense.
I usually have to go back Sunday now with my wife driving me to Ebbsfleet. This takes about 35-40 minutes as generally there are no hold ups then - but a fair amount of fuel and double the time for my wife. The train is not very busy Services: I give WH Smith and Cafe Nero a few months tops - there is no way they can be making a profit. On Sunday I saw the National coach pull up - nobody got on or off.
The staff are generally miserable and overmanned.
Ebbsfleet officially open.
Oh hurrah!
The sign over the entrance says ‘Welcome to England’ but of course if you have arrived from the continent you will not see it as you will have your back to it as you leave. Not that I think too many continental commuters can use it as they do not have a car waiting for them and I have never heard anyone over there give any indication that they know about the Fastrack or National Express bus services.
On the proposed Artwork
I am astounded. Ebbsfleet is not an iconic building like St Pancras. Why does it need to have a £2 + million sculpture?
I have heard that some staff are being made redundant. How many jobs could £2m save? Alternatively, it would pay for another two trains per day to stop at Ashford in each direction for a whole year.
I have received two suggestions for said sculpture – a huge sign saying ‘Ebbsfleet’ because drivers say it is badly signposted, or RB sitting on a potty.
The French still have one of the machines which bored the tunnel. That reminds me of what a fantastic achievement that was. My husband was there on the night of the breakthrough and one of his colleagues later did the tunnel walk. I would love to see a huge train – Stevenson’s Rocket or a solar powered display of a train whizzing through the countryside or even an oasthouse. We’ll probably end up with some painted bricks.
Kent on Sunday has a reader competition for ideas if you are interested.
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