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'Living France' article on 'Cross Channel Commuting'


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In this month's magazine there is a piece on 'Cross Channel Commuting' which contains the quite astonishing statement that 'Eurotunnel are hoping to build up a critical mass of 10,000 British commuters in the Pas de Calais region...

It goes on to say that the new link from 2007 will reduce the journey to one hour. It seems to have escaped the notice of whoever wrote the piece, that Eurotunnel is a car tunnel and it is the Eurostar train which will give the 1 hour journey time... far more significantly, however, all the evidence shows that far from encouraging cross channel travel, both Eurotunnel & Eurostar have actively discouraged it!

Not only did Eurostar stop their very useful 'carnet' service  for commuters, but Eurotunnel also stopped their Property Owners' scheme... in addition, far from exapnding their service - as they would need to do to carry even half of the 10,000 mentioned - EUROSTAR ARE ABOUT TO EITHER CUT OR REDUCE THE SERVICE TO CALAIS / FRETHUN! 

Some hope of a 'critical mass!' Of course, they could easily build it up, by bringing in proper incentive schemes and most of all, by adding at least 2 more trains from London in the evening: at present the last one goes at 5.15  - what kind of professional person finishes work in time to make that?

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Eurostar have confirmed to the Maire of Frethun that the Calais Frethun stop on the Paris run will end next year in order to shave a couple of minutes off the London-Paris time.    Anyone who is concerned about this, please make their feelings known to Eurostar.  Or join Opale Link, a new association based in France which aims to help develop the economies of the Cote d'Opale and Kent by encouraging cross channel commuting in both directions.  I can provide further details if anyone is interested.
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Is there any potential in contacting the local French press about this too?

I am sure you will think of more than I, but those that spring to mind are La Voix du Nord, Le Courrier Picard, and the glossy mag Pays du Nord.

Angela  (not a commuter!)

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  • 2 weeks later...

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