Meanwhile , Eurostar has reported a record rise in sales and passenger numbers for 2006 (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6250977.stm

Cross-Channel rail passengers will have free travel on local railway services in Kent when the new Ebbsfleet International Station opens (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6767295.stm

Eurostar said a deal with Southeastern would give free links between Ebbsfleet and Ashford , and other stations nearby.

It follows a long-running campaign in Ashford against Eurostar's move to cut the town's Paris services and end Brussels services when Ebbsfleet opens.

Eurostar has been accused of abusing its monopoly on international train services by cutting the number of trains stopping at Ashford (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/08/eurostar_abusing_its_monopoly.html#more

Former Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman , the MP for South Thanet , attacked the firm's decision to axe trains to Brussels and reduce the number of services to Paris when Ebbsfleet International opens in November.

Eurostar says it needs 36 passengers to get on each train , but predicts there will be just 15 per service once Ebbsfleet opens.

But Dr Ladyman said: "That doesn't make any sense. Stopping at Ashford increases the number of passengers at no extra cost. The train's going to be going past Ashford anyway."

The MP added: "They have a monopoly for the time being because that was the way Eurostar was set up. By taking the decision they are about Ashford they are abusing that monopoly."

A Eurostar spokesman said that it would cost £1 million a year to make services stop at Ashford once on the way out of England and once on the way back each day. He said that was the cost of manning the station and "lost revenues", but would not give a breakdown.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Transport admitted that it was powerless to intervene.