14,000 names on Eurostar petition

Ebbsfleet International Station is due to open on 19 November

A 14,000-name petition against planned cuts to Ashford's Eurostar services has been handed to the government.

It was being taken to Downing Street on Friday by South East MEP Peter Skinner, who has said the Ashford links benefit people across the south coast.

The Kent town will lose some Paris services and all Brussels services, when the new Ebbsfleet International station opens on 19 November.

Eurostar said Ebbsfleet was equally or more convenient for most people.

But Mr Skinner said campaigners wanted Ashford's Eurostar services to continue.

'A real blow'

He said: "This is a clear signal that Eurostar must now sit up and pay attention.

"Clearly there are thousands, if not millions, of people in the South East who stand to continue to benefit from international services to Ashford."

He said the Ashford cuts were "a real blow to both the town of Ashford and to Kent and Sussex overall".

The MEP said Southern railway had recently improved its links between Ashford, Brighton and towns along the south coast and "increasing" numbers of people were relying upon the link to Europe.

Last month, Richard Brown, Eurostar chief executive, said the company was "fully committed to ensuring the best possible level of service" for local people.

He said the Ashford and Ebbsfleet would together have "significantly more services that will strengthen Kent's international links and its position at the crossroads between the UK and the continent".