Eurostar move to St Pancras a success, despite predictions of gloom from SWT-land.

"The cross channel operator reports a 24.7% increase on ticket sales
between January and June this year compared to last with traveller
numbers reaching 4.63 million, an 18.3% year-on-year increase.

"It added that a significant chunk of the boosted sales was thanks to
better links with St Pancras from areas north of London. Cities that saw
the strongest growth in Eurostar travellers are Derby (up 190%),
Nottingham (up 131%), Sheffield (up 128%), York (up 127%), Leicester (up
113%), Newcastle (up 107%), Leeds (up 99%) and Birmingham (up 70%)
--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote in message
news:NhBiNf0zzdfIFAhS@perry.co.uk...
> "The cross channel operator reports a 24.7% increase on ticket sales
> between January and June this year compared to last with traveller numbers
> reaching 4.63 million, an 18.3% year-on-year increase.
>
> "It added that a significant chunk of the boosted sales was thanks to
> better links with St Pancras from areas north of London. Cities that saw
> the strongest growth in Eurostar travellers are Derby (up 190%),
> Nottingham (up 131%), Sheffield (up 128%), York (up 127%), Leicester (up
> 113%), Newcastle (up 107%), Leeds (up 99%) and Birmingham (up 70%)

Probably because the silent majority from 'SWT land' aren't scared of the
underground, as some of us had been saying since the decision was made.

Paul

In message <NfydnTIuqeMGfeDVRVnyigA@bt.com>, at 12:50:49 on Wed, 16 Jul
2008, Paul Scott <notvalidpmscott@> remarked:
>Probably because the silent majority from 'SWT land' aren't scared of the
>underground,

And the predicted flight (sic) to Heathrow has not dented overall E*
numbers.
--
Roland Perry

On Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:35:15 +0100, Roland Perry wrote:

> "The cross channel operator reports a 24.7% increase on ticket sales
> between January and June this year compared to last with traveller
> numbers reaching 4.63 million, an 18.3% year-on-year increase.

And the price increases / fuel surcharges for airplane flights has
nothing to do with this rise in passengers?

In message <487df0bd$0$2930$fa0fcedb@news.zen.co.uk>, at 12:59:41 on
Wed, 16 Jul 2008, Ar <Ar@127.0.0.1> remarked:
>> "The cross channel operator reports a 24.7% increase on ticket sales
>> between January and June this year compared to last with traveller
>> numbers reaching 4.63 million, an 18.3% year-on-year increase.
>
>And the price increases / fuel surcharges for airplane flights has
>nothing to do with this rise in passengers?

I'm sure they have had quite an effect.

Are you suggesting that the doom-mongers from SWT-land failed to factor
in that possibility in their predictions that the move to StPancras was
inevitably going to cause a fall in passenger numbers?

For Eurostar to prosper it just needs passengers.
--
Roland Perry

There are so many effects taking place at the same time that it is
difficult to pinpoint one single cause.

The following, in particular have changed.

- opening of CTRL shortens station to station journey time by Eurostar
- opening of CTRL disentangles Eurostar paths from those of suburban
electrics, meaning higher punctuality
- air travel suffers from higher fuel prices

How can we hope to tell which percentage of ridership increase is due
to which of these factors? We can't. So how can we know where
ridership would be today if the CTRL were to terminate at Waterloo? We
can't.

Andrew

In message
<907bc1d3-2b3b-4a6e-a4aa-af8a4d5b23c1@25g2000hsx..com>, at
07:09:55 on Wed, 16 Jul 2008, amoglesm remarked:
>The following, in particular have changed.
>
>- opening of CTRL shortens station to station journey time by Eurostar
>- opening of CTRL disentangles Eurostar paths from those of suburban
>electrics, meaning higher punctuality
>- air travel suffers from higher fuel prices
>
>How can we hope to tell which percentage of ridership increase is due
>to which of these factors? We can't. So how can we know where
>ridership would be today if the CTRL were to terminate at Waterloo? We
>can't.

I wonder how many of those effects you list can possibly account for
190% increase in passengers from Derby, other than the move to St
Pancras.
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:

> I wonder how many of those effects you list can possibly account for
> 190% increase in passengers from Derby, other than the move to St Pancras.

I wonder how the Manchester figures are - against what they would be
with Manchester to St Pancras direct services via Chinley and Matlock.

"Mark Annand" <mark.annand@invalid.zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:487e3663$0$761$4c56ba96@master.news.zetnet.ne t...
> Roland Perry wrote:
>
> > I wonder how many of those effects you list can possibly account for
> > 190% increase in passengers from Derby, other than the move to St
Pancras.
>
> I wonder how the Manchester figures are - against what they would be
> with Manchester to St Pancras direct services via Chinley and Matlock.
>
Or Manchester to St Pancras direct services via Primrose Hill. ISTR that a
spur from the NLL into St Pancras was built for WCML to E* connections - or
even NoL E*s calling at St Pancras en route between the WCML and Paris.

Peter

On Jul 16, 7:13 pm, "Peter Masson" <peter.mass...@> wrote:
> "Mark Annand" <mark.ann...@invalid.zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
>
> news:487e3663$0$761$4c56ba96@master.news.zetnet.ne t...> Roland Perry wrote:
>
> > > I wonder how many of those effects you list can possibly account for
> > > 190% increase in passengers from Derby, other than the move to St
> Pancras.
>
> > I wonder how the Manchester figures are - against what they would be
> > with Manchester to St Pancras direct services via Chinley and Matlock.
>
> Or Manchester to St Pancras direct services via Primrose Hill. ISTR that a
> spur from the NLL into St Pancras was built for WCML to E* connections - or
> even NoL E*s calling at St Pancras en route between the WCML and Paris.
>
> Peter

Wouldn't they have to travel down the DC lines all the way from
Watford?