insideKENT Magazine Issue 39 - June 2015 | Page 12

NEWS LAUNCH OF NEW EUROSTAR SERVICE BRINGS SOUTH OF FRANCE WITHIN EASY REACH OF ASHFORD Ashford’s already superb high-speed rail connections to the Continent were boosted this May with the launch of Eurostar’s new direct service to the south of France. Passengers can now travel direct from London St Pancras and Ashford to Lyon, Avignon and Marseille up to five times a week. It means Ashford will offer direct services to France’s three largest cities – Paris, Marseille and Lyon – as well as Lille. The launch is a boost to Ashford’s rail, road, sea and air connections to London, the rest of the UK and Europe. It already boasts a highspeed domestic rail service from Ashford International Station to St Pancras, which takes 38 minutes, while daily direct Eurostar connections mean that Lille is under an hour away, Brussels can be reached in 90 minutes, and Paris in less than two hours. Recent figures place Ashford International in the top 6% of busy stations in Britain, with over 3.3 million domestic passengers a year. The town is also easily accessible from the M20 and design work is starting soon on the long-awaited Junction 10a to provide extra capacity. The Port of Dover, the world’s busiest roll-on, roll-off ferry terminal, is 30 minutes away; while London Ashford Airport, which embarks on a multi-million-pound runway extension this year to open up new air routes to Europe, is 20 minutes away. These excellent links were recently hailed in a survey of developers, investors and businesses, who said that connectivity and easy access to 360 million consumers across Europe has helped make Ashford the ‘preferred place for business in Kent’. Andrew Osborne, economic development manager at Ashford Borough Council, said the expanded rail services will provide greater opportunities for leisure and business travellers, boost local tourism and leisure industries, and make Ashford even more attractive as a business location for companies trading with France. “The launch reinforces the strategic importance of Ashford International Station as a driver for future prosperity within the borough. Ashford’s location is one of its most significant assets and the fact that it is incredibly well connected and accessible makes it a vibrant hub for businesses. “The new service represents a huge boost to businesses in Ashford, both for those who already trade in France and those looking to expand their customer base on the Continent.” Journey time from Ashford to Lyon is 4hrs 5mins, to Avignon it’s 5hrs 13mins, and to Marseille it’s 5hrs 51mins. Return fares start from £89 per person for Lyon and £99 return for Avignon and Marseille. For more information or to book Eurostar tickets visit www.eurostar.com or call the contact centre on 03432 186186. For more information about Ashford, visit www.ashfordfor.com. KENT BUSINESS EXPANDS INTO SOLAR PV MARKET Local, family-run business, Electrical Audio Visual Limited, has announced its expansion into the solar PV market. The Kent-based company is not only offering low prices for solar installations, but it's promising to beat any solar quote its customers may already have. So that's great prices, top of the range solar equipment and a professional service too! Director of Electrical Audio Visual Limited, Sonny Spencer, emphasises how much money can be made for consumers even with the government lowering tariffs. He quotes that the average 4kW solar installation costs around £5,800, including parts and labour, and can generate £1,800 annually. So with a 20-year performance warranty, you could make £36,000 in 20 years. 12 Many people are still being hassled with cold calls by big companies trying to make a quick profit, but with more small, family-run businesses like Electrical Audio Visual Limited, solar PV can now be installed with peace of mind and without having to take out a big loan. Unit 3 Jacks Park Cinque Ports Road New Romney TN28 8AN 07789 930119 0330 223 2556 [email protected] www.electrical-audio-visual.co.uk