Posted 18th January 2010 | 2 Comments
Eurostar concedes ‘it needs to win back trust’
EUROSTAR has begun a programme of rebuilding confidence in its services after a disastrous Christmas period during which more than 2000 people were stranded on failed trains in the Channel Tunnel.
In a letter to passengers, chief executive Richard Brown has set out a programme of improvements, with better staff training high on the list. Other measures to help prevent or reduce the effect of future failures include a ‘significant’ increase in the amount of food carried on trains, better communications, a new call-out system, additional checks by engineers and also some speed restrictions during severe weather.
Mr Brown said reducing speeds should help: ‘Whilst this causes a slight delay to the journey we believe it is an important precautionary measure during winter weather’, he said.
He added: ’ We can't guarantee that Eurostar will never again be subject to extreme weather disruption, but we will do everything in our power to ensure that the chances of disruption are minimised. When disruption does occur we will provide our customers with the care that you rightly expect. Our commitment to you now is to provide a reliable and high quality service, and to win back your trust, good-will and support.’
Eurostar is now awaiting the results of an independent review into the events of 18 and 19 December, during which more than 2000 people were stranded on failed trains inside the tunnel after heavy snow in France penetrated the engine compartments. All Eurostar services were suspended for three days after the failures, only resuming on the Tuesday before Christmas after a reported intervention by the French President.
Mr Brown himself was to become non-executive chairman of the newly constituted Eurostar International this month, but all changes to top management positions have been put on hold. The events of December are expected to cost the operator £10 million.
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
Ian Musgrove, York
Unfortunately, the message has NOT got through. My attempts to find useful information on how to return from Brussels, two days after the Belgian accident was hampered by the total lack of information from Eurostar staff. Printed notices advising alternative travel-by-train plans had been printed and circulated to staff at Brussels, but neither read or displayed by them. The London-Brussels service was completely abandoned (not merely truncated at Lille) causing those people who had escaped from Brussels to crowd onto the few trains from Paris that stoped at Lille.
Graham Collett, York, UK
At last, a sign that the message has got through!
It is clear that Eurostar need a major overhaul of their arrangements for dealing with emergencies, including much closer liaison with other parties (Eurotunnel, Police, Network Rail, SE Trains etc). It seems they have never heard of contingency planning!
Perhaps if they could stop thinking of themselves as an airline which only "flies" between London and Paris or Brussels and give staff the message that they are part of the European rail network, we might see some progress!