Eurostar disruption: Foreign office warning after French cable theft adds to railway problems after track deaths
The UK government has issued an official warning about Eurostar travel to France today - as the train service advises passengers to scrap their journey.
The high-speed rail service was already suffering problems after two separate track deaths in northern France yesterday.
But the disruption has been made worse after thieves stole 600m of cables - 70m lengths of nine individual cables - from a section of track near Lille. This has affected the high-speed line and is causing problems for not just Eurostar but French TGV services.
Eurostar has said: “Due to a cable theft near Lille Europe, our trains are likely to be subject to severe delays and last-minute cancellations. We advise you to cancel or postpone your trip. We're very sorry for the disruption that this is causing and the impact on your journeys today.”
The Foreign Office has issued a statement which says: “Eurostar services to and from France will be severely disrupted today (25 June) with some services cancelled. Check your operator’s advice before travelling, including where you are taking connecting trains.”
At the moment, the Eurostar website says that the 8.01am, 10.31am and 4.01pm services from St Pancras to Paris are cancelled. In the other direction, the 7.12am and 8.42am were cancelled, as is the 11.12am.