Press Release – Labour MPs Call for Rule Change on International Rail for Kent ahead of Temple Mills Decision

MPs (L-R) Jim Dickson, Helena Dollimore, Sojan Joseph, Polly Billington, and Tony Vaughan outside the Office of Rail and Road’s HQ in Canary Wharf

South Eastern Labour MPs call on rail regulator to remove barriers that could enable new international trains to stop at Ashford International, ahead of key upcoming decision.

Today (16th September) Sojan Joseph MP (Ashford Hawkinge, and the Villages), Tony Vaughan MP (Folkestone and Hythe), Helena Dollimore MP (Hastings and Rye), Polly Billington MP (East Thanet), and Jim Dickson MP (Dartford) presented a letter to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) at their offices in Canary Wharf, London.

The regulator is set to make their decision on the depot by the end of October.

The MPs on their unannounced visit, requested that the ORR take the following four points into account in their letter, ahead of their decision on the TMI this autumn:

“1. Apply TAG-compliant economic assessment to quantify the wider regional economic benefits of increased international rail competition
2. Consider the substantial evidence provided by the Good Growth Foundation report of economic benefits flowing from enhanced international rail connectivity
3. Weight heavily the public interest in breaking monopolistic market structures in favour of competitive provision
4. Prioritise applications that demonstrate commitment to serving underutilised international stations with significant economic development potential
The Temple Mills decision represents a pivotal moment for international rail competition in the UK. We urge you to use your statutory powers to facilitate market access for new operators and thereby unlock the substantial regional economic benefits that competition can deliver.”
In 2020, after 25 years of European rail services at Ashford International, Eurostar ended their services – abandoning ready to use international rail infrastructure at the station. However, a recent report published by the Good Growth Foundation found that if European services were to resume at Ashford, we would see £2.7 billion injected into the visitor economy over 5 years.”

Quotes

Sojan Joseph, Labour MP for Ashford, Hawkinge, and the Villages, said:

“It is crucial that we, as South East MPs, encourage the regulator to allow for competition in the market of European travel. The status quo of Eurostar’s monopoly is not working – it’s not delivering for passengers and businesses in the South East, or generating anywhere near the potential growth ready to be harnessed. The ORR’s decision must take these factors into account and ensure that any operators are serving in the best interests of our region.”

Helena Dollimore, Labour and Co-operative MP for Hastings, Rye and the villages, said:

“For my constituents in Hastings, Rye and the villages, this is about more than trains: it’s about jobs, tourism and opportunities for our area. Returning international trains to Ashford would boost Sussex and Kent’s economy, which is why I’m asking the rail regulator to help remove barriers to other operators running on the line as a key step towards this and unlocking over £2.5 billion in economic growth.”

Polly Billington, Labour MP for East Thanet, said:

“Before the pandemic, it was easy to make a quick hop from Thanet to Ashford International and on to Europe on the train, with the benefits to families, business travellers and our economy speaking for themselves.

It’s therefore deeply frustrating that the ability to restore these services is currently being held back by Eurostar’s monopoly over the line. That’s why I and my Kent Labour colleagues are urging the Office of Road and Rail to break the monopoly and allow other services to run on the line, so we can restore this vital link between Thanet and France at the earliest opportunity.”

Notes:

Report by the Good Growth Foundation Light at the End of the Tunnel — The Good Growth Foundation

MP’s letter to ORR – Kit Bradshaw on X: “NEW: Six MPs from Kent and Sussex have written to the rail regulator, urging it to break “Eurostar’s effective monopoly” at an East London maintenance depot. They argue the ORR should “facilitate market access for new international rail operators” at Temple Mills. @itvmeridian https://t.co/jTIrnzMO0d” / X

ENDS