Calais Migrants.

[Bigbad]

There is plenty on the news about the lorries, but what about the passenger trains from St. Pancras. Are they affected? My daughter and her boyfriend are (supposed to be) going next week - it was my Christmas present to her!

[mushroom25]

all current information - BBC News travel - nationalrail and eurostar themselves, says no, and trains are running more or less to schedule.

the issue that would affect eurostar trains is not migrants, but the ongoing industrial dispute involving the closed down "myferrylink" company. if the displaced workers decide to set fire to the line with burning tyres, that's a legitimate trade dispute under french law, and the police won't intervene.

[Baldric]

Eurostar's customer care number is 03432 186 186.

Eurotunnel's information line is [phone].

[baza]

Surely burning tyres on a road cannot be legal.

[anotheoldgit]

Bigbad

I do hope your Daughter and her Boyfriend have no trouble getting to France and arrive safe and sound.

What a lovely Christmas present by the way.

[mushroom25]

//Surely burning tyres on a road cannot be legal. //

it's a trade dispute baza. when the ferry workers blocked the A26 yesterday by the same means, all the police can do is stand back.

[baza]

Boris has a couple of spare water cannons .
Back to topic, I hope they enjoy the trip.

[Maydup]

Fingers crossed for them Bigdad. Trains have been delayed on and off when the tunnel has been closed for one reason or another or when migrants are on the track. Mostly at night from what I can make out. They just have to be prepared for some delays here and there and not to worry about time too much.

[Baldric]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30868990

[Baldric]

IGNORE Link, ^^^^^^ it's an old one.

[Maydup]

^^^^^ that was a lorry fire back in January baldric.

I know and example of a delay to trains, but could happen any day.nothing to do with migrants or OP.

[whiskeryron]

I must confess I have never thought of passenger trains being affected, are there any incidents of Migrants coming over on passenger trains ?

[mushroom25]

//are there any incidents of Migrants coming over on passenger trains ? //

yes. in france, local passengers can use eurostars between paris or lille and calais-frethun, when trains stop there and until recently this could be done without a passport or ID card. so it was easy for migrants to board for a local journey and then hide on the train, in a toilet perhaps. not so easy now.

[Baldric]

Well spotted Maydup, was that before I posted "IGNORE Link" or after?

[anotheoldgit]

whiskeryron

/// are there any incidents of Migrants coming over on passenger trains ? ///

I bet if they do they only travel First Class.

[Baldric]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/8943417/Illegals-immigrants-can-exploit-Lille-loophole-to-get-in-to-UK-on-Eurostar.html

[retrocop]

An article in today's mail follows a Sudanese youth from being picked up by RMs on Bulwark through Italy and arriving and living NOW in BIRMINGHAM!!
All done in a few weeks. Guess what. When stopped in Marseille he admitted to no papers but his destination was the UK. That satisfied the Gendarmerie/Dounes who issued him and his travel companion a docket that ensured free train travel including train changes all the way to Calais.The police,government,train companies are all complicit in getting them to Calais and onward to the UK asap. Providing these scroungers satisfy that their intent is to settle in the UK.

[retrocop]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Concerning my last post. Makes you weep.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3181691/Hamad-s-fast-track-Eldorado-Sudanese-migrant-Italy-five-weeks-ago-UK-thanks-free-train-rides-Europe-wants-family-join-him.html

[Old_Geezer]

Tyres ? Burning sheep probably isn't either, but the French seem to take a hands off approach to such public activity.

[Playbill]

'Should be sorted out by end of August when we go'. So said my partner when she persuaded me to book a Dover/Calais ferry some weeks ago. Beginning to think the long weekend in Amsterdam might be a long weekend stuck on a French motorway. That's if we can actually get to Dover.

[jourdain2]

Please understand that striking is an absolute, basic right in France. I can't count the number of times I've had this discussion with people whose businesses are being affected by 'les greves'. They all accept it and shrug their shoulders. They are losing money and their businesses struggle, but you can't get it through that others have rights as well. The gendarmes stand by, but that's all.

Ever been held up for 2 hours on a motorway because protesters have put 3 or 4 cars on which drive at 10 miles an hour occupying the lanes? It's a regular in France. Gendarmes accompany them in case anyone gets mad enough to react.