Eurostar celebrates first anniversary ‘double doorway’ in Kent

Eurostar, the high-speed passenger train operator that links the UK with France and Belgium, today celebrates the first anniversary of operating twin stations in Kent, offering a double doorway from south east England to the Continent.

High-speed services from Ebbsfleet International in north Kent, close to Bluewater shopping centre, began at 05.38 on 19 November 2007, with regular 186mph trains to Brussels and Paris.

From being a place few had heard of, Ebbsfleet International station is now becoming well established across the south east, a catchment of 10 million potential Eurostar travellers, thanks to a series of innovative measures to put the new station on the map.

These have included:

- A Eurostar shop at Bluewater that stayed open nearly three times longer than first planned and sold more than twice as many tickets as originally expected

- Sponsorship of the Blue Square Premier League team Ebbsfleet United FC, which then gained national media attention through its takeover by internet venture myfootballclub; and victory in the FA Trophy Final at Wembley in May 2008

- The launch – with London & Continental Railways and Land Securities – of an international competition to build the Ebbsfleet Landmark, as a beacon to further herald the regeneration of the Ebbsfleet Valley in north Kent

- A drive-in cinema over the August Bank Holiday to attract local residents, showing the classic films ‘Moulin Rouge’ and ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ which both feature Eurostar’s destination of Paris

- A regional TV advertising campaign to highlight the journey time proximity of Ebbsfleet International to the centres of Brussels and Paris

Around 90% of all Ebbsfleet International travellers now originate from the South East region including Essex, Greater London, Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex, with some 38% from Kent itself.

The proportion of travellers from Essex has steadily increased to 15% as a result of marketing, advertising and PR activity targeting the county. It appears that perceptions of the Thames as a barrier to Kent are being broken down by the closeness and convenience of high-speed rail access to the Continent via Ebbsfleet International.

At Ashford International the number of travellers catching the daily service to Disneyland Resort Paris has increased by just over 8% since the opening of High Speed 1.

Eurostar’s Director of Communications, Simon Montague, said: “We’ve faced a tough challenge to put Ebbsfleet International on the map, and we’re really pleased that the name is now becoming well-known.

“In many ways it is the same challenge that faced Eurostar when Ashford International first opened in 1996. We are committed to both our Kent stations, and the significant growth on the London-Brussels route has also enabled us to plan the reintroduction of a direct Ashford-Brussels service next year.”

Ebbsfleet International was officially opened on 29 January 2008 by Dame Kelly Holmes MBE and the advertising and marketing campaign to put the station on the map began soon after. Marketing activity focussing on further raising awareness of both Kent stations across the south east will continue in 2009.

Eurostar now employs over 450 people in Kent, either directly or indirectly at the two stations, the UK Contact Centre based in Ashford, and its station retailers and security contractor.