Visit Kent held a reception at the House of Commons on 21 May, hosted by Damian Collins MP, at which tourism and transport leaders from the county called for the implementation of several key policies to achieve smart, seamless, and sustainable travel for visitors and residents to, from, and within Kent.
These included an urgent return of international train services at Ashford and Ebbsfleet as new research currently being conducted by Kent County Council (and revealed at the reception) suggests that if international services are not reinstated in the county until 2040, the cost to the Kent economy could be as much as £75 million, 30,000 jobs would be affected and an estimated £16.5 million per year would be spent on unnecessary travel by residents and visitors.
Additionally, leaders at the reception called for: support to help with the smooth implementation of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System due to start this Autumn; digitisation of travel systems in the county to help improve traffic flow and resilience in the transport system and regulatory and financial support for a substantial shoreside clean power supply in order to help support the decarbonisation of ferry travel on the Dover route which currently contributes around 8% to maritime carbon emissions in the UK (source: Climate Change Committee, Sixth Carbon Budget 2018).
Deirdre Wells OBE, CEO of Visit Kent said, “We know that there is a very strong appetite amongst international visitors to come to Kent and we need to make the experience of travelling here as easy as possible. One of the ways we could do this would be to reinstate our international rail connections as their loss is already leading to fewer visitors and less money flowing into the local economy. I urge the current and future Government to work with Eurostar and explore what options are feasible to provide greater resilience in our transport system by using the facilities at Ashford and Ebbsfleet.
“We are proud of the role that Kent plays as a leading UK gateway. Investing in a world-class port, road and rail network is critical if we are to continue to grow prosperity in the Garden of England.”
Doug Bannister, CEO of The Port of Dover said, “We have a fantastic opportunity to make Kent and the Short Straits the jewel in the nation’s crown once again with the right investment and support. We have some critical issues to overcome, not least the EU Entry Exit System in the short term and climate change. But with the right collaboration between industry and government can ensure we have the tools to deliver the smartest, most seamless and sustainable travel long into the future, supporting the economy of Kent and the nation as a whole.”
John Keefe, Chief Corporate and Public Affairs Officer, Getlink Group said, “Kent is rightly recognised as one of the most beautiful locations in England to visit. Its coasts, countryside, history and food and drink offer are a match for anywhere in the world. As the main route for inbound tourists from the continent, Eurotunnel will ensure that, even as borders become more complex, travel into and out of the county will continue to be easy and fast moving. Major investments in border technology mean that traffic will flow through our terminals smoothly and efficiently, without additional queuing time. Smart borders mean smooth travel and open roads for everyone.”
Derek Murphy, Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Kent County Council said, “We are working with Visit Kent on our shared concern about the loss of international rail services. It is important for Kent’s economy that we see this connectivity return so that businesses and attractions can benefit again from visitors seeking to enjoy all that Kent has to offer.”
Click here to find out more about Visit Kent.
