Councils urge residents to help bring back international rail services to Kent

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) and Kent County Council (KCC) is urging residents to help secure the return of international rail services to Ashford and Ebbsfleet by taking part in a short survey demonstrating demand directly to rail operators.  

No international trains have stopped in Kent since 2020 when Eurostar withdrew services from Ashford and Ebbsfleet leaving communities disconnected.   

Restoring direct international rail links between Kent and mainland Europe remains a top priority for local councils and partners, and there is now a genuine opportunity to make this happen.  

However, before committing to new services, operators need clear evidence that people in Kent will use them.  

A survey has been created by local campaign group Bring Back Euro Trains. It takes just three minutes to complete and asks people to consider their ideal journey and provide information on:  

• Where they would like to travel from 
• Where they would like to travel to 
• How often they would use international rail services  

Almost 14,000 people have already registered their interest, and ABC and KCC is encouraging even more potential passengers to take part in the survey to convince operators that stopping in Kent is good for their businesses.  

Linden Kemkaran, Leader of KCC, said: "Kent has always been the UK's gateway to Europe, so it cannot be right that our residents, businesses and visitors have been denied direct access to international rail services from Ashford and Ebbsfleet for more than five years.  

"We now have a real opportunity to bring these services back, but we need to show operators that there is a strong and sustainable market for international travel from Kent. Every person who takes three minutes to take this survey helps build that case.  

"Whether you travel for work, holidays, education, family visits or business, your voice matters. If you want to see international trains return to Kent, please complete the survey. Together we can show operators that Ashford and Ebbsfleet are ready and that Kent deserves to be reconnected with Europe."  

Cllr Noel Ovenden, Leader of Ashford Borough Council, said: “This is about much more than convenience. Restoring international rail services to Ashford would reconnect our borough to Europe, unlock growth, support our visitor economy, help local businesses and give people across Kent and the wider southeast a greener and easier way to travel.

“Ashford International is a ready-made platform for growth. The infrastructure is here, the demand has been proven, and the benefits would be felt well beyond the borough boundary. What we need now is clear, up-to-date evidence showing how people and businesses would use these services if they returned.

“Every survey response helps us keep pressure on decision-makers and operators. If you want to see international trains stopping in Kent again, please take a few minutes to register your demand and help us make the strongest possible case.”

Anyone who would use international rail services from Kent is encouraged to complete the survey and help demonstrate that Ashford and Ebbsfleet should once again be served by international trains.  

Take three minutes to complete this short survey and help bring international rail services back to Kent. 

To find out more about what Ashford Borough Council is doing to bring international rail back to Kent, view the dedicated page on our website.