Transport Salaried Staffs' Association

27 September 2019

TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has given a "cautious welcome" to the prospect of a merger between Eurostar and Thalys - the Franco-Belgian cross-channel operator.

The high speed rail project is yet to be approved or details fully thrashed out. Billed as ‘Green Speed’, it will also require the approval of the European Commission.

Manuel Cortes said: “Our union strongly supports high speed rail and therefore we give this plan a cautious welcome. It may well be that it points the way to an integrated, green, pan-European rail service which is in all our interests.

“However, I am now seeking a meeting with Eurostar and others in an effort to discover what the prospects are for jobs. There must be no jobs flight from Britain as a result of these plans, regardless of Brexit.

“The hope must be that the plans both improve rail services to and from the Continent as well creating jobs here.”