International Rail Services: Ashford - 14th October 2025

Here are the climate-related sections of speeches by MPs during the Commons debate International Rail Services: Ashford.

Full text: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-10-14/debates/07C2EC46-ECB5-4C4D-ADF8-63BC4978B73A/InternationalRailServicesAshford

09:39 Helena Dollimore (Labour)

I totally agree that having good, international rail travel is important, not just because it is often cheaper and easier, but because it is better for the environment. At a time when we need to consider climate change, we must have more options for people to travel to our closest European neighbours. Since Eurostar stopped the service at Ashford International, many people in our constituencies are not making the journey to St Pancras because it takes too long and costs too much. They are instead driving and taking the channel tunnel, or parking at Gatwick and taking a flight. We know it will be better for the environment to have services restored at Ashford International.

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10:41 Keir Mather (Labour)

My hon. Friend’s point is very well made. What has struck me throughout this debate is the access opportunities for the constituents of every Member in the room. Members have also pointed to the importance of modal shift and the impact on freight and our decarbonisation ambitions. We have also heard about the impact on our international resilience and our ability to respond to the challenges in the channel with nimbleness and agility. These can all be enhanced by the prospect of increasing our international rail capacity, and those points have been very well made.

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