Surrender monkeys stifle Chunnel competition?

This from Lloyds Loading List...

Attempts by three French Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to gain exemption from European railway law for services through the Channel Tunnel have been met with fury from the UK Rail Freight Group (RFG), which claims the move could shut out competitors....

The RFG said proposed amendments to the First Railway Package Recast would “exempt Eurotunnel from all the requirements of liberalisation, including fair and open access, interoperability and equitable charging”.

Good to see the Frenchies remain committed to the ideal of a free market Europe.

DB fails to finish race it never started

It rather looks as if our Teutonic friends are behaving in typically high handed fashion!

Much huffing and puffing from DB's Chief Executive, Rüdiger Grube, who claimed on the BBC Today programme yesterday that "safety bureaucracy" was preventing ICE3 trains operating between London and Frankfurt in time for the Olympics.

But what's this?

According to the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority DB hasn't even submitted a request to operate through the Chunnel yet!

Richard Clifton, the head of the UK delegation said “I cannot understand any statement that what is holding up his service is safety procedures relating to the Channel tunnel”.

Clifton claimed that once a request was received it could be dealt with in a couple of months.

Clearly DB is softening up the market for another 'great betrayal' myth when the much trumpeted service fails to start.

Publish and be damned

Telegrammed by Barry Spotter
The Times online reports that a Eurostar service came to a stand in the Chunnel this morning.

Keen to make a mountain out of a molehill the electronic rag opined:

"The incident is likely to cause passengers further misgivings about travelling to France via the Channel Tunnel."

Well possibly, but only because The Times has suggested it!

Eurotunnel to bid for HS1

***Eurotunnel expects to be a bidder for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link if, as expected, HMG puts it up for sale next year.***

See Thomson Financial story here