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Eurotunnel passenger traffic down 43% so far during 2020 as pandemic bites

09:31, 05 October 2020

updated: 09:36, 05 October 2020

Passenger numbers using Eurotunnel have continued to plunge as a result of strict quarantine regulations - but truck traffic is showing signs of a revival.

Revealing its numbers for last month, Getlink, the parent company of Eurotunnel, revealed freight traffic using the service linking Folkestone to Coquelles in northern France was up year on year.

Eurotunnel profits are expected to be hit hard by the health crisis
Eurotunnel profits are expected to be hit hard by the health crisis

But passenger numbers using the car service were still dramatically down.

The Le Shuttle Freight service carried 131,985 trucks, up 2% compared to September 2019.

It brings to a total of 1.03million lorries using the service so far this year. For the first six months of the year, freight traffic is down 13%, year-on-year.

Passenger traffic, however, was 127,663 for September - down 46% on the same month last year.

Quarantine measures for those travelling back from France were reintroduced on August 15 , having a major impact on cross-Channel services.

Passenger traffic using Eurotunnel has plunged this year
Passenger traffic using Eurotunnel has plunged this year

The impact of the health crisis has seen the first six months deliver a 43% drop in passenger traffic.

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