Eurostar Winter Failure Highlights Need For Deregulation
Brussels, 12th February 2010
Timothy is backing his Conservative colleague Richard Ashworth MEP who is calling the report into Eurostar's delays this past December a "shocking indictment" on the company's performance.
Today's report, commissioned by Eurostar, states ageing and poorly maintained trains were responsible for the chaos caused when five Eurostar trains broke down on December 18th, as they were ill-prepared for severe winter weather.
2,000 passengers were trapped within the Channel Tunnel for up to 16 hours when the trains failed and at least 40,000 others saw their travel plans disrupted by the subsequent 3-day-long suspension in Eurostar service at the height of the busy Christmas season. The reports authors also criticise Eurostar for failing to react well to the crisis, with staff leaving passengers without information, food or water for hours at a time.
Timothy said:
"After what happened at Christmas time, when so many people were affected, it's clear that Eurostar needs competition. For years the company has been allowed to become complacent, and consumers have suffered."
ENDS
