Comments on: Our Campaign http://www.save-eurostar.org Dedicated to saving Eurostar services from Ashford International Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:45:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Lynne http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-9 Lynne Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:57:33 +0000 http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-9 I travel to Brussels every Monday morning, from Ashford. I live in Sevenoaks but I still go from Ashford. It is convenient and a very nice station with great staff. I don't have to go on the M25 if I drive, and I don't have to change trains if I go by train. No matter when I come back from Brussels, at what time or which day of the week, there are always loads of passengers getting off at Ashford, not just me. I have been a Carte Blanche holder since 2002 and I have NEVER been asked by Eurostar what I think, not in person, not by letter, not by email. Is this how Eurostar treat their loyal customers? I travel to Brussels every Monday morning, from Ashford. I live in Sevenoaks but I still go from Ashford. It is convenient and a very nice station with great staff. I don’t have to go on the M25 if I drive, and I don’t have to change trains if I go by train.
No matter when I come back from Brussels, at what time or which day of the week, there are always loads of passengers getting off at Ashford, not just me.
I have been a Carte Blanche holder since 2002 and I have NEVER been asked by Eurostar what I think, not in person, not by letter, not by email. Is this how Eurostar treat their loyal customers?

]]> By: Kate http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-11 Kate Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:47:23 +0000 http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-11 I am based in Brussels and use the Ashford-Brussels service on a regular basis (about once every six weeks) to visit my parents. They live in Wye which is 7 minutes by train or 15 minutes by car from Ashford International station. Losing the Brussels service from Ashford will mean that the only feasible way for me to visit them in the future will be by car. The idea of sitting on the Eurostar as it continues on past Ashford, only to dump me at Ebbsfleet with no means of getting back to Ashford (or indeed anywhere else) by rail is crazy. I am certainly not prepared to subject my parents to the long and unpleasant drive to Ebbsfleet in order to pick me up. I have been a regular customer of Eurostar for the last six years. I am disgusted that they are offering no solution whatsoever to me and to the many others in a similar situation. I am based in Brussels and use the Ashford-Brussels service on a regular basis (about once every six weeks) to visit my parents. They live in Wye which is 7 minutes by train or 15 minutes by car from Ashford International station.
Losing the Brussels service from Ashford will mean that the only feasible way for me to visit them in the future will be by car. The idea of sitting on the Eurostar as it continues on past Ashford, only to dump me at Ebbsfleet with no means of getting back to Ashford (or indeed anywhere else) by rail is crazy. I am certainly not prepared to subject my parents to the long and unpleasant drive to Ebbsfleet in order to pick me up.
I have been a regular customer of Eurostar for the last six years. I am disgusted that they are offering no solution whatsoever to me and to the many others in a similar situation.

]]> By: Margaret S. http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-36 Margaret S. Sat, 25 Aug 2007 23:08:05 +0000 http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-36 I use Ashford International to travel all over Europe by train. For some years now I have not flown to go away on holiday, but caught Eurostar to Paris or Brussels and travelled onward by rail to Scandinavia, Eastern and Southern Europe. It's amazing how far you can get in a day or overnight on the sleeper, it's eco-friendly, and takes little longer than flying. You can easily spend a whole day getting to a European destination by air if, like me, you live at least two hours' drive from any airport (not to mention extended check-in times, and the need to allow extra time for traffic hold-ups on congested motorways). I can easily get to Ashford International by train (impossible to Ebbsfleet), so I don't need to pay high car parking charges. Cutting Eurostar services will make it much more difficult to make connections with other European services. Eurostar should be encouraging people to use trains rather than flying, to make a contribution towards reducing global warming. One day we will all pay for their mistake in cutting the Ashford services - why are they so short-sighted, and why doesn't the government do something instead of throwing up its hands and saying it has no control over Eurostar? It's appalling that Eurostar have failed to consult travellers from Ashford about these cuts, but glossed over them while extolling the virtues of the new St Pancras station. Ebbsfleet will be so close in terms of journey time from St Pancras that its catchment area would be virtually the same. Where is the sense in leaving passengers with no option but to travel on the already overcrowded M25/A2 road network on the outskirts of London, when Ashford is already there with good rail connections and a relatively free-running motorway close by? It is also scandalous that so much money was wasted on developing Ashford International Station if the intention was to use it only temporarily for Eurostar services. Ashford needs these services more than this nebulous Ebbsfleet place which is in the middle of nowhere! I personally will refuse to use the Ebbsfleet service, and will continue to try to make onward connections using the measly 3 services which will be left. I could go on and on, but is anyone listening? I use Ashford International to travel all over Europe by train. For some years now I have not flown to go away on holiday, but caught Eurostar to Paris or Brussels and travelled onward by rail to Scandinavia, Eastern and Southern Europe. It’s amazing how far you can get in a day or overnight on the sleeper, it’s eco-friendly, and takes little longer than flying. You can easily spend a whole day getting to a European destination by air if, like me, you live at least two hours’ drive from any airport (not to mention extended check-in times, and the need to allow extra time for traffic hold-ups on congested motorways). I can easily get to Ashford International by train (impossible to Ebbsfleet), so I don’t need to pay high car parking charges.

Cutting Eurostar services will make it much more difficult to make connections with other European services. Eurostar should be encouraging people to use trains rather than flying, to make a contribution towards reducing global warming. One day we will all pay for their mistake in cutting the Ashford services - why are they so short-sighted, and why doesn’t the government do something instead of throwing up its hands and saying it has no control over Eurostar?

It’s appalling that Eurostar have failed to consult travellers from Ashford about these cuts, but glossed over them while extolling the virtues of the new St Pancras station. Ebbsfleet will be so close in terms of journey time from St Pancras that its catchment area would be virtually the same. Where is the sense in leaving passengers with no option but to travel on the already overcrowded M25/A2 road network on the outskirts of London, when Ashford is already there with good rail connections and a relatively free-running motorway close by?

It is also scandalous that so much money was wasted on developing Ashford International Station if the intention was to use it only temporarily for Eurostar services. Ashford needs these services more than this nebulous Ebbsfleet place which is in the middle of nowhere!

I personally will refuse to use the Ebbsfleet service, and will continue to try to make onward connections using the measly 3 services which will be left.

I could go on and on, but is anyone listening?

]]> By: Ade http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-73 Ade Mon, 05 Nov 2007 20:41:13 +0000 http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-73 The Eurostar website is currently promoting St Pancras and Ebbsfleet with hardly any mention of Ashford. It even shows driving times from various East Kent towns to Ebbsfleet so passengers can join services to Paris. Why no mention of Ashford? No one at Eurostar has cosidered the liklihood of traffic chaos near Ebbsfleet as a result of A2/M25 roadworks, shoppers going to Bluewater (and especially at Christmas) Definitely a hidden agenda to shut Ashford! People in East Kent have been conned. The Eurostar website is currently promoting St Pancras and Ebbsfleet with hardly any mention of Ashford. It even shows driving times from various East Kent towns to Ebbsfleet so passengers can join services to Paris. Why no mention of Ashford?

No one at Eurostar has cosidered the liklihood of traffic chaos near Ebbsfleet as a result of A2/M25 roadworks, shoppers going to Bluewater (and especially at Christmas)

Definitely a hidden agenda to shut Ashford! People in East Kent have been conned.

]]> By: Richard http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-176 Richard Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:04:21 +0000 http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-176 I am off to Brussels soon so I have sat myself down in front of my computer and begin planning my journey from Ashford to Brussels via Ebbsfleet since Eurostar have found it in there wisdom to stop all services running from here; Well this is turning out to be an absolute nightmare, my choices are as follows. 1. I take the train from Ashford to London Bridge then take a train back to Strood then take another train to Greenhithe then pick up a bus to Ebbsfleet. 2. I take a train to Maidstone East then walk to Maidstone West then the train to Strood, another to Greenhithe then the old speedy bus again to Ebbsfleet. 3. I take the Eurostar to Lille at further cost and then pick up another Eurostar to Brussels, assuming there are places available on the Ashford to Lille service “I am told”. 4. I can always get the coach a nice relaxing ride, and only one journey but yet it takes around 5 hours as this also goes to London first. Seriously what bright spark decided to cancel all services to Brussels, would it have not made sense to phase them out as the high speed link was put in place from Kent to Ebbsfleet or is that to obvious. Well I have finally worked out how to get to Brussels now, go to St Pancras its a lot easier. A very disgruntled customer. I am off to Brussels soon so I have sat myself down in front of my computer and begin planning my journey from Ashford to Brussels via Ebbsfleet since Eurostar have found it in there wisdom to stop all services running from here; Well this is turning out to be an absolute nightmare, my choices are as follows.

1. I take the train from Ashford to London Bridge then take a train back to Strood then take another train to Greenhithe then pick up a bus to Ebbsfleet.

2. I take a train to Maidstone East then walk to Maidstone West then the train to Strood, another to Greenhithe then the old speedy bus again to Ebbsfleet.

3. I take the Eurostar to Lille at further cost and then pick up another Eurostar to Brussels, assuming there are places available on the Ashford to Lille service “I am told”.

4. I can always get the coach a nice relaxing ride, and only one journey but yet it takes around 5 hours as this also goes to London first.

Seriously what bright spark decided to cancel all services to Brussels, would it have not made sense to phase them out as the high speed link was put in place from Kent to Ebbsfleet or is that to obvious.

Well I have finally worked out how to get to Brussels now, go to St Pancras its a lot easier.

A very disgruntled customer.

]]> By: Michael http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-289 Michael Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:31:29 +0000 http://www.save-eurostar.org/about/#comment-289 I used to take the Ashford train when I lived in the UK, now I have the problem from the French side. I live 15 minutes from Calais-Frethun, and as an example, I need to get to Ashford next week. The only choice I have for an Ashford train is the one service on a Sunday. Great, except that the place I am going is closed on Sundays (not surprisingly)! So, I have the following inconvenient and costly options: 1. Take a Calais train and get off at Ebbsfeet - how on earth do I then get to Ashford? 2. Take a Calais train to St. Pancras, then another train to Ashford. 3. Drive to Lille or Paris, and then get off at Ashford. Brilliant, Well done Eur"no"star. I used to take the Ashford train when I lived in the UK, now I have the problem from the French side.
I live 15 minutes from Calais-Frethun, and as an example, I need to get to Ashford next week.
The only choice I have for an Ashford train is the one service on a Sunday.
Great, except that the place I am going is closed on Sundays (not surprisingly)!
So, I have the following inconvenient and costly options:

1. Take a Calais train and get off at Ebbsfeet - how on earth do I then get to Ashford?
2. Take a Calais train to St. Pancras, then another train to Ashford.
3. Drive to Lille or Paris, and then get off at Ashford.

Brilliant, Well done Eur”no”star.

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