Plans for international rail services to stop at a second London station have been backed by the Aslef train drivers’ union.
The Mayor of London has told how plans for the significant rail development are “almost over the line”.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan
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Aslef welcomed the proposal for a second London stop for international trains.
“Excellent to see this from the Mayor of London,” it stressed.
“It’s essential we invest in international rail links.
“The benefits for both the economy and the climate could be huge.
“That should mean expanding international rail freight too.”
There are also plans for freight services to run through a Barking Eurohub and Aslef is not taking sides on whether it would be better for international services to stop there or at Stratford International.
Support for a second stop in east London has also been backed by business chiefs including Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, which operates the giant Westfield shopping complexes in east and west London.
Computer generated photo by Virgin Trains of one of their trains at St Pancras International station
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Eurostar and other prospective operators of international links have so far not opted for an east London stop.
To try to encourage such a development, Lord Khan believes there is a case for the public sector get involved, to reduce investment risks, given the possible wider economic benefits.
So City Hall has submitted an application for a Business Rate Retention Zone (BRRZ) in the Stratford area.
A BRRZ would support delivery of the infrastructure needed to unlock the next phase of development in east London including the rail scheme.
The Mayor said: "Over the last few months, we've been working closely with this new Government to make Stratford International truly ‘international’ for the first time and we’re now within touching distance of getting our plans over the line.
"The data shows that bringing international services to Stratford would bring in an additional £1.3bn in tourist spending for the UK.”
Stratford International Station
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The rail company has ordered 12 trains for its first international services.
The agreement covers the period between October 1 2030 to December 31 2040 and relates to tracks owned and run by London St Pancras High Speed.
Eurostar could soon face competition from Virgin and other rail rivals
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The welfare minister first raised the prospect of a Stratford halt when he was chairman of Newham planning committee in the late 1980s.