Government to sell stake in Eurostar
The Government is to sell its 40% stake in the cross-Channel passenger rail service Eurostar.
The announcement is contained in the new national infrastructure plan (NIP), said Sky News, which sets out over £375 billion of planned public and private investments to 2030 and beyond.
Last month Eurostar, the majority of which is owned by the French state rail operator SNCF, revealed it had seen a 10% increase in revenue this summer compared with 2012 and passenger numbers during the same period were up 5% to 2.7 million. Profits doubled to £52 million.
In September, Eurostar announced plans to extend its operations, adding a new rail service from London to Amsterdam in December 2016, which will make it an even tougher competitor for airlines on short-haul routes.
Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander will unveil the NIP alongside Commercial Secretary and former London Olympics chief Lord Deighton.
Other measures being announced, said Sky News, include a £50 million redevelopment of Gatwick Airport’s railway station.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt