Eurostar disruption

[Spamcan81]

I note on the Eurostar website that there are multiple cancellations most days throughout February and March. They say these are due to operational reasons. Does anyone know the operational reasons behind these cancellations and if the disruption is set to continue into April when I’m due to travel? I have tried contacting Eurostar but have yet to receive a reply.
https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en/disruption_hub

For operational reasons we had to implement a reduced timetable. As a result, these trains are no longer running:

 

[driver9000]

Reports in the media say French customs officials are working to rule and also incredibly slowly to prove how under staffed they are to deal with post Brexit security checks. Passengers caught up in it say some of it has been very unnecessary probing asking for addresses and occupations. It's also affecting shipping.

 

[MichaelAMW]

Reports in the media say French customs officials are working to rule and also incredibly slowly to prove how under staffed they are to deal with post Brexit security checks. Passengers caught up in it say some of it has been very unnecessary probing asking for addresses and occupations. It's also affecting shipping.

I don't think it's that, although that is happening. I believe it's ongoing engineering works on the French side that means revising the timetable for a bit. I guess replacement buses aren't an option... If I'm wrong about this then the travel agent has badly misinformed me.

 

[Spamcan81]

I don't think it's that, although that is happening. I believe it's ongoing engineering works on the French side that means revising the timetable for a bit. I guess replacement buses aren't an option... If I'm wrong about this then the travel agent has badly misinformed me.

Finally got through to Eurostar and was informed they are unaware of any planned cancellations beyond 30th March. Fingers crossed that if it is SNCF engineering works, they don’t overrun.

 

[Alfie1014]

Eurostar were earlier claiming that it was shortage of rolling stock too many defects on the E320 fleet?

 

[Spamcan81]

Eurostar were earlier claiming that it was shortage of rolling stock too many defects on the E320 fleet?

Hmm. If that’s the case then I hope they’ve got it sorted by the time I travel in April as I’ve a TGV to catch once I’ve arrived in Paris.

 

[flash]

Trains were badly damaged during the bad weather both here and on the continent several weeks ago, repairing them is taking time - hence the programmed cancellations. The engineering works on the french high speed line have affect the timetables a little, trains leave Paris 6 minutes earlier. The current disruptions are due to french custom staff working to rule.

 

[leytongabriel]

'The current disruptions are due to french custom staff working to rule.'

This is what it is being described as officially so nobody loses any pay presumably. But I understand this has involved reducing the number of luggage scanning belts for four to one so it's what we'd call a a go-slow really.

 

[bussnapperwm]

'The current disruptions are due to french custom staff working to rule.'

This is what it is being described as officially so nobody loses any pay presumably. But I understand this has involved reducing the number of luggage scanning belts for four to one so it's what we'd call a a go-slow really.

Typical of them. In my industry (local government) if we tried to do something similar to that (example unplugging all but one telephone and not answering calls) we'd have the local rag doing a six page article on how we're wasting public money and our P45s.

Hell, those French border agents make Scargills lot look efficient.

 

[bussnapperwm]

I don't think it's that, although that is happening. I believe it's ongoing engineering works on the French side that means revising the timetable for a bit. I guess replacement buses aren't an option... If I'm wrong about this then the travel agent has badly misinformed me.

If this this why, let's just hope they don't employ British contractors as otherwise it'll be like the West Coast Route Modernisation...

Slow, over deadline and over budget

 

[Cloud Strife]

Typical of them. In my industry (local government) if we tried to do something similar to that (example unplugging all but one telephone and not answering calls)

I've seen something similar in Poland. A friend is senior management in a large provincial hospital, and he discovered that the reception staff were refusing to answer phones. He went to the reception manager, pulled out his mobile and rang the reception - only for nothing to ring. Turned out that they'd pulled out all the phones, and that this had been going on for months.

End result: reception manager sacked on the spot, and the reception staff given a final written warning. They weren't protesting over anything, they simply didn't want to answer the phone.

 

[MarcVD]

Subject discussed in another (private) forum, the real reason for all those cancellations is that more than half of the e320 fleet is currently unserviceable, and a shortage of spare parts is making things even worse...

 

[johntea]

I suddenly feel quite lucky in that I went to Disneyland on Monday morning from St Pancras and returned Friday evening, with a whole 15 minute delay on the return leg! (only for LNER to then suffer an hour delay but that meant a free taxi home for me and all my luggage due to then missing my last connection at Leeds so it worked out quite well in a weird sort of way!)

 

[Gadget88]

Subject discussed in another (private) forum, the real reason for all those cancellations is that more than half of the e320 fleet is currently unserviceable, and a shortage of spare parts is making things even worse...

Yes trivial but I wonder when they will repair the cosmetic yellow stripe on these trains that doesn’t require any spare parts.

Anyway back to the disruption I am surprised when people moan and say back to flying on social media. Delays are rare it’s still much better to take the train. From what I’ve seen it seems things are smoother going to Belgium. The french always seem to be on strike

 

[306024]

Smoother in Belgium but if your train calls at Lille not so smooth. Currently held there on the 17.56 Brussels to St Pancras for an estimated 30 minutes awaiting the pleasure of the French authorities to complete their duties.