Tunnel operator’s record figures

The troubles of Operation Stack have not affected commuters and holidaymakers’ appetite for cross-Channel travel, after Eurotunnel announced a record summer. Its Le Shuttle passenger service carried an unprecedented 658,000 vehicles in July and August, improving on the highs of last year. Two other records were also broken this summer, with its biggest single day traffic of more than 17,000 vehicles and the bank holiday representing its best weekend since it began 21 years ago. During the peak periods on those days, more than 1,000 vehicles per hour were being transported. Chairman and chief executive Jacques Gounon said: “These traffic figures demonstrate the vital role the Channel Tunnel plays in the European transport ecosystem.”