low graphics version | feedback | help
|
 The BBC's Louise Batchelor reports"Direct services a distant prospect"  real 28k  The Court of Session hearingThe BBC's Louise Batchelor real 28k |
'Delight' at Tunnel court outcome
People have to travel to London to join Eurostar |
Strathclyde Passenger Transport has expressed delight at the outcome of a Court of Session hearing in Edinburgh aimed at bringing Eurostar services to Scotland.
SPT had claimed that British Railways Board was failing in its statutory obligation to make the Channel Tunnel accessible to Scots.
More specifically, the court was asked to rule on whether the BRB had failed to meet its obligation to carry out a review of regional Eurostar services over the past 10 years.
In the absence of such a review, regional services to UK destinations outwith the south east of England have never materialised.
The hearing is in the Court of Session |
But the board claimed that since the end of 1998, by discussing the matter with SPT and the Department of Transport and the Regions, its review had in fact begun.
This view was not accepted by the judge, Lord Milligan.
The judge continued the case to allow BRB to consider the findings of the government's own ongoing review of services, and to decide whether to review its 1989 plan.
SPT chairman, Councillor Eric Ross, said: "I am delighted at this outcome, though sad we had to go to such lengths to prove our point. I hope BRB will take account of today's proceedings as quickly as possible.
"We are fighting on a point of principle - why should only the south east of England benefit from direct services to the continent when taxpayers from throughout the UK helped fund those services in the first place?"
Scots travelling to the continent must travel to London to join the Eurostar train taking them through the tunnel.
SPT wants a direct service and said it carried out an opinion poll which showed 40% were likely to use the Eurostar service if it was available from Scotland.
The court move follows complaints that Eurostar is charging UK passengers up to 20% more than customers who buy tickets on the continent.
Airline pricing policy
Passengers from London pay £129 for a leisure class return to Brussels or Paris, while people buying the same ticket in Brussels pay only £108. In Paris it costs £115.
Eurostar said it has followed the pricing policy of airlines, who offer cheaper fares to European customers.
Eurostar is operated jointly by Eurostar (UK) Ltd, French Railways (SNCF) and Belgian Railways (SNCB/NMBS).
The three railways are each represented on the board of Eurostar Group, a unified management structure set up to benefit both customers and the business.
There are 766 passenger seats on every Eurostar train, almost the equivalent to two Boeing 747 jet aircraft.
 |
 E-mail this story to a friend |
|
Links to more Scotland stories
|
Search BBC News Online |
|
|
 Advanced search options | |
| |
 | |
 | |
| |
 | BBC RADIO NEWS |
| |
| |
|
| BBC ONE TV NEWS |
| |
| |
| WORLD NEWS SUMMARY |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| PROGRAMMES GUIDE |
|
|
See also: |
|
|
|
 |
30 Aug 99 | The Company File |
|
UK Eurostar ticket row |
| |
|
|
27 Jan 99 | UK Politics |
|
Regions 'cheated' over Eurostar |
| |
|
|
Internet links: |
|
|
|
|
|
Eurostar |
| |
|
|
Scottish Courts Service |
| |
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites |
|
Links to other Scotland stories are at the foot of the page.
~RS~a~RS~domestic~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~48~RS~)