Covid recovery plans must 'pull out all stops' to help Eurostar

TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has called on the Government to "pull out all the stops" to safeguard Eurostar's future after Boris Johnson outlined the lifting of Covid restrictions which could permit international travel by the summer.

The call from the boss of the transport and travel union follows a meeting with Treasury officials aimed at preventing the collapse of the channel tunnel train operator which has just two services a day as a result of the pandemic restrictions.

Manuel Cortes has in the past raised "grave concerns" about the financial state of Eurostar and asked for the government to step in with support. The union has worked with the TUC to put together a formal paper to be presented to the Treasury outlining the type of support required to ensure Eurostar is fully ready to take advantage of the recovery in international travel when it happens.

Manuel Cortes said: 

"The focus now must be on recovery and we will do everything we can to ensure that Eurostar has a bright future. Ministers must pull out all the stops and work with us in this urgent task to safeguard Britain’s green gateway to Europe.

"Eurostar remains in a perilous situation but is far too important to fail. I know the company, and all our brilliant members, are ready to get back to a normal service as soon as it is safe to do so. The Treasury should make every effort to ensure that happens. No ifs, no buts."