TSSA welcomes Eurostar funding deal – urges long term British commitment

TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has welcomed news that Eurostar has reached a deal with its backers, but called on the British Government to "step up" to secure the long-term future of the firm. 

The cross-Channel rail operator has announced a deal worth £250m with its shareholders and banks – including French state rail company SNCF (the company’s majority shareholder). In a statement, the firm said the package "secures Eurostar's future as restrictions ease and travel begins to gradually resume." 

Manuel Cortes said in response: 

"We welcome this news because we have been saying for many months that Eurostar is far too important to fail. The majority of Eurostar jobs are British jobs and many more rely on this vital service.   

"This is not the end of the story. Now is the time for the British Government to step up and stop sitting on its hands by claiming Eurostar is someone else's problem – as they have been doing for far too long.  

"The shareholders have done their bit to secure the short to mid-term future of Eurostar. Tory Ministers who have been missing in action must act so that we know our green link to continental Europe will be on a secure footing for many years to come.  

"Of course, the very best way of doing this would be to bring our country’s share of Eurostar back into public ownership – where it belongs."