Fire alert forces Eurostar cancellations
Eurostar services between London and Paris are returning to normal this morning following a safety alert.
Trains were suspended after smoke was reported in a tunnel under the River Thames in London at 17:30 yesterday, prompting Network Rail to close the line.
While the line was reopened at 20:00, Eurostar took the decision to cancel the three remaining trains of the day.
In total some 1,500 passengers were impacted by the decision, with many offered accommodation in London.
Friday Morning
Traffic on the line was “very smooth” following the reopening of the track, a spokeswoman for Eurostar confirmed this morning.
“The first Paris to London train at 04:33 GMT departed without a hitch as did the 05:13 am train,” added the spokesperson.
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Christmas Blues
Last year the cross-channel operator came in for fierce criticism as 2,000 passengers were left stranded in the tunnel following a technical fault.
An independent report into the incident blamed snow for the breakdown, but criticised response procedures at Eurostar.
Eurostar reported a sharp slump in profits following the incident.