Plans for international rail services to stop at a second London station have been backed by the Aslef train drivers' union. The proposal would see trains to and from the Continent halt at Stratford International in east London.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said plans for the significant rail development are “almost over the line”.
Union backs investment in international rail
Aslef welcomed the proposal for a second London stop for international trains. “Excellent to see this from the Mayor of London,” it stressed. “It’s essential we invest in international rail links. The benefits for both the economy and the climate could be huge. That should mean expanding international rail freight too.”
There are also plans for freight services to run through a Barking Eurohub, and Aslef is not taking sides on whether it would be better for international services to stop there or at Stratford International.
Support for a second stop in east London has also been backed by business chiefs including Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, which operates the giant Westfield shopping complexes in east and west London.
Eurostar and Virgin options
Eurostar and other prospective operators of international links have so far not opted for an east London stop. To try to encourage such a development, Lord Khan believes there is a case for the public sector to get involved, to reduce investment risks, given the possible wider economic benefits.
City Hall has submitted an application for a Business Rate Retention Zone (BRRZ) in the Stratford area. A BRRZ would support delivery of the infrastructure needed to unlock the next phase of development in east London including the rail scheme.
The Mayor said: “Over the last few months, we've been working closely with this new Government to make Stratford International truly 'international' for the first time and we're now within touching distance of getting our plans over the line. The data shows that bringing international services to Stratford would bring in an additional £1.3bn in tourist spending for the UK.”
Rail minister and Virgin plans
Rail minister Lord Hendy, a former Transport Commissioner for London, has been pushing for international trains to stop at Stratford, as well as at St Pancras International.
Under its plans to run international services, Sir Richard Branson's Virgin is considering the option of a rail halt in the east of the city. The rail company has ordered 12 trains for its first international services.
As it seeks to take on rival Eurostar, Virgin has been given track access for new services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam in 2030. Rail regulator the Office of Rail and Road has granted the approval for Sir Richard's firm that means it will be able to run up to 20 new daily return services through the Channel Tunnel. The agreement covers the period between October 1 2030 to December 31 2040 and relates to tracks owned and run by London St Pancras High Speed.
Long-running campaign
Sir Stephen Timms, MP for East Ham, has been campaigning for more than 30 years for international rail services to the capital to stop at both Stratford and another London terminus, which previously was Waterloo. The welfare minister first raised the prospect of a Stratford halt when he was chairman of Newham planning committee in the late 1980s.
