KCC Rail Summit hears from industry experts

Kent County Council hosted another successful rail summit on Tuesday with different speakers from the industry.

About 90 people attended from local authorities, rail user groups and associations, community rail partnerships and the rail industry.

Presentations were made by representatives from Southeastern, Network Rail, Eurotunnel, Eurostar and Kent County Council.

KCC cabinet member for transport Mike Whiting said: “Many are rightly concerned about the further delay to the start of the new Thameslink service to Maidstone East, and I was pleased to announce a more positive response received from the new rail minister, Chris Heaton-Harris.

“He has agreed to meet with me and other county councillors representing areas along the proposed route, when we will impress on the minister the urgent case for this new service, which has now been delayed on four separate occasions.”

Mr Whiting also welcomed the good news from Eurostar concerning the future of international services at Ashford.

He added: “It was good to hear from Eurostar that the Ashford Spurs project, which will secure the future of international services at Ashford, is on track for completion by the end of December, with the new Class e320 Eurostar trains due to start serving Ashford from January onwards.

“Eurostar has also given us an assurance that, once the project is completed, the new Summer timetable in May 2020 will include the restoration of the third pair of Ashford – Paris return journeys each day, as well as retaining all the other services to Lille, Brussels, Disneyland, Marseilles and the Winter ski service.”

View the presentations from the links below.

Network Rail presentation: 11th Rail Summit – PP.MS.v1.15.10.19

Eurotunnel presentation: 11th Rail Summit – PP.JK.v1.15.10.19

Southeastern presentation: 11th Rail Summit – PP.DS.v1.15.10.19

Eurostar presentation: 11th Rail Summit – PP.RT.v1.15.10.19 (PDF, 7.1mb)

Kent County Council Rail Action Plan 2020 presentation: 11th Rail Summit – PP.SG.v3.15.10.19 (PDF, 3.1mb)

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