Tens of thousands of rail passengers have been left stranded as their journeys were disrupted at the start of the final weekend of the year, just as they set off to celebrate New Year’s Eve. The disruption primarily affected Eurostar trains running between London St Pancras International and Continental Europe due to flooding on the High Speed 1 line.
In the early hours of the morning, engineers announced that no trains would be able to pass through the tunnel, which runs beneath the Thames east of London. As a result, dozens of Eurostar trains had to be cancelled, leaving many passengers with cancelled travel plans.
Passengers who arrived at Eurostar’s terminal were informed that all trains scheduled before 10 am were cancelled due to an “infrastructure issue.” A Eurostar staff member also mentioned that there was no remaining availability in standard class for the day, apologizing for any inconvenience caused.
Eurostar confirmed the situation, stating that their services to and from London were being cancelled, resulting in severe delays. The train operator assured that they were working with Network Rail to keep customers updated and prioritize customer safety and security.
Furthermore, flooding in the Thames tunnels caused Britain’s only high-speed railway line from London to Kent to be unavailable for Southeastern trains. This disrupted the line from London St Pancras International to Ebbsfleet and Ashford for most of Saturday morning, with expectations of disruption until midday.
Domestic passengers were advised to use slower trains to and from London Charing Cross and Cannon Street, as the Southeastern line to London Victoria remained closed until the New Year due to engineering work.
Additionally, passengers using the Thameslink line connecting Bedford and Luton with Gatwick and Brighton were warned of major disruption through to the morning of New Year’s Day, attributed to staff shortages.
The disruption not only affects New Year’s Eve revellers hoping to catch trains home after celebrating in central London but also has implications for many airline passengers and staff who rely on the overnight trains to reach Gatwick and Luton airports. National Rail warned that further cancellations could be expected over the weekend.
This travel chaos comes as parts of the UK brace for strong gusts, snow, and heavy rain in the wake of Storm Gerrit. Yellow weather warnings for ice, rain, and snow have been issued across various regions, adding to the challenges facing travellers during this busy holiday season.
