Eurostar weekend breakdown adds to Brussels woes
Sunday, 22 Feb, 2010
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Eurostar suffered another setback this weekend after a train breakdown on Sunday delayed hundreds of passengers.
As the operator battles to resume service to Brussels following last week’s commuter train crash just outside the city, its Paris to London Sunday morning service stopped just south of Ashford following “major technical problems”.
Some 740 people had to get out of the train before being placed on a replacement one that arrived around an hour later. The passengers arrived four and a half hours late into St Pancras.
The operator said that it was now conducting a full investigation into the incident which comes just months after a number of pre-Christmas breakdowns which left thousands of passengers delayed.
Eurostar said it was offering a refund of the affected leg of the journey to passengers plus a free return journey from London to Paris.
Meanwhile, Brussels services remain severely affected. However, three return services will operate daily between the UK and Brussels over a diversionary route from today until Thursday inclusively.
The journey will take 50 minutes more than normal. From Friday the operator hopes to increase services slightly but says full, normal service will not resume until March 2 “at the earliest”. Passengers who do not want to travel on this diverted service can obtain a refund or delay travel.
The number of services between the UK and Lille will also be increased today.
A frequent coach shuttle service will continue to operate between Lille and Brussels.
By Dinah Hatch
Phil Davies
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