Channel asylum seekers halt trains

French rail operator SNCF has suspended freight surfaces

CALAIS, France -- Rail freight services through the Channel Tunnel have been halted indefinitely after asylum seekers repeatedly stormed trains in a bid to reach Britain illegally.

Services run by French rail operator SNCF from the freight depot at Frethun, near Calais, were suspended over the weekend after 200 asylum seekers invaded the yard.

SNCF, which runs the depot, said on Wednesday that the situation was continuing with up to 50 would-be immigrants invading the site whenever a new train is about to depart.

SNCF tried to get four trains through on Tuesday, but only one managed to reach the tunnel because asylum seekers were swarming over them, an SNCF spokeswoman said.

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UK rail freight company English Welsh & Scottish Railway said it has lost £600 million ($850 million) because of the delays caused by the asylum seeker problem, which is threatening the viability of the business, a spokesman for EWS said.

Eurostar and Shuttle services, which also carry freight lorries, are unaffected.

A spokeswoman for SNCF said: "We certainly don't intend to put an end to our freight traffic, but we need more help from the Gendarmerie before traffic gets back to normal.

"We tried to get trains across yesterday but the asylum seekers climb over the fences and we then have to check the trains again."

SNCF had just 15 police officers patrolling the perimeter of the yard and five security staff, a spokesman for EWS said.

"That number of security trying to stop more than 200 asylum seekers is hardly robust security for an international boundary," he said.

"This is a disaster for British business and the British economy. This is effectively destroying our business.

"We have no idea if services will be resumed next week or even longer. This is entirely in the hands of SNCF and the French authorities."

The French Transport minister met representatives of SNCF on Tuesday night in an urgently arranged meeting to discuss whether more police will be made available to patrol the depot's perimeter, but no agreement was reached.

SNCF asked the French Government to allow more police to patrol the site to prevent a repeat of Thursday night, when 200 would-be illegal immigrants invaded the yard.

It was the latest in a series of assaults by asylum seekers housed at the controversial Sangatte Red Cross centre on the outskirts of Calais.

Philip Mengel, EWS Chief Executive, said: "EWS is committed to international rail freight services and will remain in this business, but we are gravely concerned by the attitude of SNCF and the French Government.

"The losses EWS is enduring and the near collapse of the customer base will however destroy this business.

"Questions need to be asked of the UK and French Governments over why they have permitted the suspension of a key trading route between Britain and Europe, and what they will do to fully restore it."

Since SNCF restricted services heading to Britain in November more than 1,700 EWS international rail freight services have been cancelled.

The cancellations have resulted in more than 50,000 lorries returning to the road network in Britain to cover the 800 km (500 miles) by road from Dover to Glasgow.