In message , at 14:28:41 on Fri,
12 Mar 2010, Paul Terry remarked:
International pax wanting to travel onward have been estimated at just
two trains-full a day, apparently.

But does that take into account potential through running from the midlands
when people there find its a lot easier to get to france etc?

I think a key issues will be whether a through service to Paris could
compete with the cheap airlines on cost grounds. The report into the
failure of Regional Eurostar concluded that trains couldn't complete
with low-cost direct plane fares to Paris from regional airports. If
HS2 is built, the journey times will be attractive, but my guess is
that fares will still not be competitive enough to move many away from
flying - unless, of course, air fares rise substantially, which is not
impossible.

And there's more to France than Paris, and more to the Continent than
France.
--
Roland Perry