Ashford International Station: New Prospectus Highlights potential for International Rail Revival
Published: 13/10/2025
Ashford Borough Council โ(ABC), inโ collaboration with London St Pancras and Kent County Council, has today launched the โAshford International Station Prospectus, outliningโค the station’s capacity and potential toโฃ reinstate โขinternational rail services. The prospectus is availableโฃ for download on theโ Ashford โBorough Council website: https://www.ashford.gov.uk/media/zowm0lyu/international-train-station-prospectus_2nd-version.pdf.
The โdocument details โhow Ashford International Station, previously handling over 600,000 โpassengers annually, is well-positionedโ to meet growing demand for sustainable international travel. โThe station boasts the capacityโค to process 850-900 passengers per train and offers 1,800 parking spaces, representing meaningfulโฃ existing infrastructure.โข Itโ currentlyโข ranks within the top 6% of busiest stationsโ nationally.
The launch followsโ the recent “Grow In Kent” event at Ashford and Ebbsfleet internationalโ Stations,โค and โforms part of an ongoing campaign to addressโข the challenges preventing the return โof international rail links โฃtoโฃ Kent.
The โcampaign hasโค garnered support from key figures including Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE, Vincent Caure, Deputรฉ for french citizens in Northern Europe, alongside โฃregional mps, rail operators,โฃ andโค localโ businesses.
Cllr Noel Overden, Leader of Ashfordโ Boroughโข council, emphasized the importance โof continued advocacy: โ”It is important that we keep building momentumโฃ by demonstrating whyโข Ashford International Station is theโ ideal platform forโ growth.”
Aโ public petition supporting the return of international services has already surpassed 80,000 signatures, with a goal of reaching 100,000 to โคtrigger โa parliamentary debate. โ ABC is also actively seeking โa working group with the Department for Transport (DfT) to address operational barriers, specifically concerning border staff, equipment, and โstation efficiency.
“the Grow Inโข Kent event has hopefully โsparked the next phase โคof this campaign,” added โฃCllr Overden,โ “and I โlook forward to working โคwithโค our partners to achieve a resolution and see international rail servicesโฃ return toโ Kent and Ashford.”