Ashford International celebrates 30th anniversary

Ashford International has marked the 30th anniversary of its opening, despite international rail services not having stopped at the station for years.

The UK's second Eurostar station opened on 8 January 1996 following an 18-month, £80million construction project, heralding a new era in travel for passengers across Ashford and east Kent.

However, Eurostar services have not called there, or at Ebbsfleet, since 2020, when passenger numbers fell during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The landmark birthday has sparked renewed calls for international rail services to be brought back to the station.