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Eurostar services return to normal after technical fault

Eurostar services are expected to return to normal today following a technical fault in the Channel Tunnel.
 
Passengers faced delays yesterday as trains were stopped or cancelled while Eurotunnel LeShuttle services were also suspended due to a power cut.
 
The failure affected travel through the tunnel for five hours until around 7pm last night.
 
Eurotunnel said the power failure was on the overhead supply and technicians worked to fix the fault.
 
No trains were held up in the tunnel as a result of the problem but LeShuttle car passengers were offered the option to transfer to alternative ferry crossings.
 
Eurotunnel today reported a sharp rise in shuttle revenues over the summer quarter by 12% year-on-year to €178.6 million, with a 2% increase in car passenger traffic to 882,358.
 
However, Eurostar traffic slumped by 10% to 2.5 million in the three months to September 30.

“This reduction is a result of the climate created by the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels,” Eurotunnel said.

“Nonetheless, the new services to Lyon and Marseille are seeing real success and the progressive roll out of the new e320 trains will encourage growth in this traffic.”

Announcing a 4% rise in total third quarter revenues to €320.3 million, chairman and chief executive Jacques Gounon said: “The group is well placed for the sustained period of growth in the UK economy forecast by the IMF and the Bank of England.

“At the same time, the fall in the value of the pound has had a significant positive impact on the service of our debt.

“These encouraging signs, combined with new records broken this quarter for the group put into perspective the change in public opinion following the vote in favour of Brexit – our business has never been stronger.”

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