Chris Grayling faces fresh humiliation as Eurotunnel say his £103million Brexit contracts with ferry firms breach state aid rules
The Le Shuttle operator says his deals are also a 'unilateral breach' of Britain’s concession agreement with the firm
CHRIS Grayling faced fresh humiliation yesterday after Eurotunnel said his £103 million Brexit contracts with ferry firms broke state aid rules.
And the Le Shuttle operator said the deals were also a “unilateral breach” of Britain’s concession agreement with the firm.
In a leaked letter, Eurotunnel chief Jacques Gounon storms: “It is with serious concern that we have read details of agreements between HMG and certain ferry operators.
“I must bring to your attention the distortionary and anti-competitive effects of such an action.”
He separately revealed the Department for Transport had been in talks with the business about “running additional rail freight trains”.
The Sun revealed on Wednesday that the DfT had been in negotiations with foreign-owned freight firms DB Cargo and GB Railfreight about running extra services at night to relieve pressure on Dover.
The DfT has denied it could hit commuters who use the Southeastern high-speed line.
In a blistering letter Mr Gounon says: “Our staff are ready to operate additional missions, assuming that HMG will bear any additional costs.
“Another option we are working on - as you know - is running additional freight trains.
He adds “Eurotunnel remains prepared to deliver additional capacity” but that it must be under “equivalent contracts” to those signed with the ferry operators.
“With the shortest journey time available in the market, Le Shuttle is the most efficient way to supply vital goods into the UK.
“This will remain the case even if delays occur due to the introduction of new border procedures by (UK and France) or through a lack of sufficient public officials to operate them.”
The ferry contracts have sparked outrage in Westminster given a £14 million deal has gone to Seaborne Freight – a company which has no vessels under its control and no usable harbour at Ramsgate.
Britanny Ferries and DFDS have also bagged deals to put on extra services between the UK and smaller Dutch and German ports.
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Unite today demanded Chris Grayling resign for ignoring Eurotunnel in its Brexit planning.
Harish Patel, Unite’s rail industry national officer, said: “These revelations reveal new levels of incompetency at the department and demonstrate that it is simply incapable of undertaking the most basic planning exercise.
“This latest fiasco underlines that the entire transport industry has lost all confidence in Chris Grayling and he should resign immediately.”
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