Kentish Express Ashford & District
Rail journeys back on track after line repairs completed
Commuters’ journeys are back on track after nine months following the reopening of the Dover to Folkestone railway line.
A ceremony took place at Dover Priory Station on Monday morning attended by railway bosses and council representatives.
The line opened for the first time since Christmas Eve, when it had to be closed for repairs costing tens for millions of pounds, following storm damage.
Commuters coming into the station were greeted by rail staff who handed them complementary breakfast bags.
The station also had a photographic exhibition detailing the progress of the work and speeches were made by people such as David Statham, managing director at Southeastern, and Alan Ross, Network Rail director of route asset management.
Mr Statham said: “I’m here today to celebrate the fact that we are reopening the railway some three months earlier than planned.
“We know it’s really important to the local community.
“We know that for nine months people have had to use rail replacement buses and they’ve had to use some of the rail shuttles that we’ve put on to help people get round these major engineering works.
“We’re here to also say thank you to people for bearing with us.”
But he also warned that while the line was reopened some more work was needed.
He said: “This is a huge engineering project and work that would normally take two years has been done in nine months.
“There is still some work to do, primarily continuing to protect the railway from the sea, putting more rock on the beach.
“There is also a temporary speed restriction on the railway at the moment.”
Mr Ross said: “It is tremendous to have this railway back open. We were working 24/7 with 250 people on site during that time and the weather was relatively kind to us when we needed it.”
David Monk, leader of Shepway District Council, said: “It’s a very good for the people of Folkestone as well as Dover.
“The traffic goes two ways including to Dover to Folkestone and up to London and it’s been a massive inconvenience for everybody.
“And I must congratulate Network Rail for doing it so quickly.
“Until now it has taken extra time for commuters.
“When you’re a commuter the delays can really mess up your day.”
‘It is tremendous to have this railway back open. We were working 24/7 with 250 people on site during that time’