Europe 2024

[Jdsk]

"Partial Schengen Accession for Romania and Bulgaria Takes Effect in 2024":
https://etias.com/articles/romania-bulg ... -accession

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

"'We have to warn people' New EU border checks in Folkestone and Dover could bring three years of Operation Brock":
https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-new ... n=sharebar

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

"'We have to warn people' New EU border checks in Folkestone and Dover could bring three years of Operation Brock":
https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-new ... n=sharebar

Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee after this week's evidence:
"Tourists could face 14-hour queues at borders under EU Entry-Exit scheme, Committee warned":
https://committees.parliament.uk/commit ... ee-warned/

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

"'We have to warn people' New EU border checks in Folkestone and Dover could bring three years of Operation Brock":
https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-new ... n=sharebar

Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee after this week's evidence:
"Tourists could face 14-hour queues at borders under EU Entry-Exit scheme, Committee warned":
https://committees.parliament.uk/commit ... ee-warned/

"Eurostar could be forced to limit passenger numbers travelling from St Pancras each day under post-Brexit plans to bring in biometric border controls later this year, the owner of the station has warned."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... tion-owner

Jonathan

[Andrew-l]

"'We have to warn people' New EU border checks in Folkestone and Dover could bring three years of Operation Brock":
https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-new ... n=sharebar

Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee after this week's evidence:
"Tourists could face 14-hour queues at borders under EU Entry-Exit scheme, Committee warned":
https://committees.parliament.uk/commit ... ee-warned/

"Eurostar could be forced to limit passenger numbers travelling from St Pancras each day under post-Brexit plans to bring in biometric border controls later this year, the owner of the station has warned."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... tion-owner

Jonathan

What I don't understand about this, is surely it's the perfect time to reopen the international station between London and the coast? Ashford isn't it? Surely that would be 100% additional capacity right now?

[roubaixtuesday]

Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee after this week's evidence:
"Tourists could face 14-hour queues at borders under EU Entry-Exit scheme, Committee warned":
https://committees.parliament.uk/commit ... ee-warned/

"Eurostar could be forced to limit passenger numbers travelling from St Pancras each day under post-Brexit plans to bring in biometric border controls later this year, the owner of the station has warned."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... tion-owner

Jonathan

What I don't understand about this, is surely it's the perfect time to reopen the international station between London and the coast? Ashford isn't it? Surely that would be 100% additional capacity right now?

Too expensive, apparently

The administrative relationship between the UK and the EU is strained, exacerbated by the delayed high-tech EU Entry Exit System, to which the UK has also subscribed. That delay means facial biometrics and fingerprints have to be collected from British passengers, adding a layer of complexity to an already constrained Eurostar terminal at London St Pancras – and an unacceptably high investment if the Kent stations were to be reinstated to the timetable.

https://www.railtech.com/all/2023/10/26 ... dpr=accept

[Andrew-l]

Interesting. I wonder if new entrants might opt for using the high-speed javelin trains to bring people out of London, and then use a Kent station as their passport control and customs point.

[st599_uk]

Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee after this week's evidence:
"Tourists could face 14-hour queues at borders under EU Entry-Exit scheme, Committee warned":
https://committees.parliament.uk/commit ... ee-warned/

"Eurostar could be forced to limit passenger numbers travelling from St Pancras each day under post-Brexit plans to bring in biometric border controls later this year, the owner of the station has warned."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... tion-owner

Jonathan

What I don't understand about this, is surely it's the perfect time to reopen the international station between London and the coast? Ashford isn't it? Surely that would be 100% additional capacity right now?

I think the second issue over cost was mentioned in the CEO's letter to parliament - there's a maximum number of French border guards allowed in the UK under the agreement, so if they re-open Ashford, they have to reduce the capacity at St. Pancras.

[mjr]

What I don't understand about this, is surely it's the perfect time to reopen the international station between London and the coast? Ashford isn't it? Surely that would be 100% additional capacity right now?

Stations: Ashford and Ebbsfleet have both operated in the past. Trains from France can turn around fairly easily in both international platforms at Ashford and in Ebbsfleet platform 4 if needed.

Stratford has international in its name, but has never operated as such and reportedly lacks sufficient space for the Brexit-inflicted border controls, so it's unlikely to help people use Crossrail to connect with HS2 at Old Oak Common any time soon. It's also surprisingly cumbersome to turn trains there, blocking the St Pancras approach for almost as long as turning at St Pancras, so it wouldn't even be much use if the UK joined t he Schengen travel zone. This hinders any edge-of-city budget operator starting services. It's embarrassingly bad for a station that was originally supposed to handle Olympic international visitors.

[Jdsk]

"'We have to warn people' New EU border checks in Folkestone and Dover could bring three years of Operation Brock":
https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-new ... n=sharebar

Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee after this week's evidence:
"Tourists could face 14-hour queues at borders under EU Entry-Exit scheme, Committee warned":
https://committees.parliament.uk/commit ... ee-warned/

"Eurostar could be forced to limit passenger numbers travelling from St Pancras each day under post-Brexit plans to bring in biometric border controls later this year, the owner of the station has warned."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... tion-owner

"Eurostar: Calls to sort upcoming passport checks":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68255134

See it. Say it. Not sorted.

Jonathan

[simonhill]

If it all goes pear shaped, people will vote with their feet and fly.

A nice boost for easyJet and Ryanair.

[st599_uk]

What I don't understand about this, is surely it's the perfect time to reopen the international station between London and the coast? Ashford isn't it? Surely that would be 100% additional capacity right now?

Stations: Ashford and Ebbsfleet have both operated in the past. Trains from France can turn around fairly easily in both international platforms at Ashford and in Ebbsfleet platform 4 if needed.

Re-opening the intermediate stations (where demand and yields are much lower) would make things even worse as it would take away from London vital border police resources.
https://committees.parliament.uk/public ... 1/default/

Ashford and Ebbsfleet are closed due to limits on French border police in the UK.

[mjr]

What I don't understand about this, is surely it's the perfect time to reopen the international station between London and the coast? Ashford isn't it? Surely that would be 100% additional capacity right now?

Stations: Ashford and Ebbsfleet have both operated in the past. Trains from France can turn around fairly easily in both international platforms at Ashford and in Ebbsfleet platform 4 if needed.

Re-opening the intermediate stations (where demand and yields are much lower) would make things even worse as it would take away from London vital border police resources.
https://committees.parliament.uk/public ... 1/default/

Ashford and Ebbsfleet are closed due to limits on French border police in the UK.

Are those paper limits that could be changed at the stroke of a pen?

[st599_uk]

I doubt it would be a unilateral pen stroke. Would need the UK to enter in to negotiations.

[Jdsk]

Not even a unilateral blue pen stroke?

; - )

Jonathan