Eurostar is ‘on the brink of collapse’

Eurostar is “on the brink of collapse” and could go bust within months if it is not given financial aid, the government has been warned.

There are fears the highspeed rail company, which runs through Ashford, could fold as early as April amid the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

There are also concerns that a potential collapse could lead to increased rail fares for Kent residents on the same line to make up for lost funds.

The French company pays each time to use the line from St Pancras in London, through Ashford and across the Channel, however a

95% drop in revenue has meant it is only running two services a day, neither of which stop in Ashford.

Concerns were raised among Kent councillors in September that services may never return to the county after the company stopped running services through its two international stations until 2022.

A spokesman said: “Without additional funding from government there is a real risk to the survival of Eurostar, the green gateway to Europe, as the current situation is very serious.”