Mid-May for tunnel freight?
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• Eurotunnel has again delayed the deadline for the resumption of freight services, suggesting that a partial service could be running by 15 May.
The debt-laden company— which is desperate to resume freight services after last year's catastrophic tunnel fire—was at one point hoping to re-start services by the end of March.
It admits that even the latest opening date will be subject to the approval of the Intergovernmental Commission.
The Fire Brigade Union has already condemned Eurotunnel's safety policy, because it says that the lattice-type wag ons which carry trucks are inherently unsafe. Eurotunnel says it believes its safety systems are adequate and argues that "you cannot provide 100% safety" (CM 10-16 April).
If Eurotunnel's plans go ahead, a service for selected hauliers will start on 15 May with a full service from 15 June.
Despite the safety worries most hauliers are keen to see the service resume. Mike Charlesworth of Laser Transport says: "We were expecting services to resume in July—June is a bonus." LT Eurotunnel's loss for last year was .685m, a reduction of 1.240m on 1995.