Bring Back Euro Trains welcomes Stratford investment and calls for equal focus on Kent's international stations

Grassroots resident campaign group Bring Back Euro Trains (BBET) welcomes the government’s announcement of investment to prepare Stratford International station for cross-Channel services. However, campaign leaders emphasize that unleashing Britain’s full international rail potential requires similar commitment to Kent’s unused international hubs at Ashford and Ebbsfleet.

The announcement comes as the UK international rail market is set to surge, with new operators, including Virgin Trains, Trenitalia and potentially Gemini Trains are all preparing to enter the market alongside Eurostar.

The economic argument for expanding station infrastructure was highlighted in Eurostar’s July 2026 report, “Fast Track to Growth: Boosting Britain through International High-Speed Rail,” which quantified the significant trade, tourism, and productivity benefits created by expanding cross-border rail connections.

Currently, the UK relies on just one operational international rail terminal: London St Pancras International. This station has developed an unenviable reputation for severe congestion during peak times, operating with a threshold of around 2,000 passengers per hour. However, with approximately 40% of the UK’s built international station capacity currently sitting idle across Ashford, Ebbsfleet, and Stratford, bringing these existing stations back into service offers the fastest, most cost-effective way to relieve pressure on St Pancras and scale up total capacity to meet growing passenger demand.

Alexander Bienfait, Acting Chair of Bring Back Euro Trains, said:

"Investing in Stratford International is a logical and welcome step towards unlocking much-needed station capacity in London. However, true connectivity cannot end at the capital’s doorstep."
Diccon Spain, Spokesperson for Bring Back Euro Trains, added:

"Kent's international stations at Ashford and Ebbsfleet are fully built, world-class assets that remain completely unused. Whilst we are pleased to see the government's commitment to Stratford as a second London international station, we call on them to maintain that momentum and now deliver the return of international services to Ashford International and Ebbsfleet International. Both stations are uniquely positioned and ready to serve substantial demand. They also already have international agreements for juxtaposed border zones in place, something that will require legislation on both sides of the Channel to achieve at Stratford.Together these two international stations have a combined capacity of 1,100 passengers per hour, more than half of St Pancras' current operational capacity of around 2,000 passengers per hour. Putting that capacity to use would deliver more than half a billion pounds of new regional GVA per year, ease congestion, and provide convenient direct European links for millions of passengers across the South East.

Expert sources have told us that Ashford and Ebbsfleet could each be reopened for an estimated £4m, compared with Stratford's £20m. For a return of over half a billion pounds a year, doing so remains a no-brainer.""