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Re-open Ashford International, says the Good Growth Foundation

Published: 1 September, 2025 | Tags:

Growth think tank The Good Growth Foundation says the Government should prioritises the re-opening of Ashford’s international station to drive prosperity in Kent and the south east.

Their recent report, The Light at End of the Tunnel, forwarded by five Labour MPs (Helena Dollimore, Sojan Joseph, Polly Billington, Tony Vaughan and Mike Tapp), deplores the wasted investment at Ashford International Station and calls for its re-opening for the benefit of Kent and Sussex.

The recommendations are:

  • That the Government should clearly signal its intention to support the return of international services to Ashford;
  • That the Government favour an alternative operator who will commit to station stops at Ashford when granting access rights;
  • To reinstate the border infrastructure that will enable Ashford to process international passengers.

The report was published in August 2025.