Eurotunnel rule change could see families charged twice over Easter
A Eurotunnel rule quietly introduced last month could lead to families on Easter getaways being forced to pay twice for their journeys.
Holidaymakers have been hit with surprise extra charges on the Eurotunnel for failing to comply with a 'technocratic and irresponsible' change in its rules.
LeShuttle – formerly known as Eurotunnel – has changed its terms and conditions for travellers who booked day trips and overnight tickets.
The new rules, brought in on March 5, mean holidaymakers who arrive less than one hour before departure will have their tickets declared void.
The changes affect both outbound and return legs, meaning families trying to reach their Easter getaway destinations could have to pay for their travel all over again.
It comes after Kent Police imposed Operation Brock – the plan for stacking freight lorries on the M20 – in expectation that heavy Easter traffic would lead to miles-long tailbacks on the crucial south-east London to Dover motorway.
Meanwhile, drivers are being advised to prepare for congestion around town and city centres, retail parks and major routes such as the M6 at Birmingham and around the Blackpool area, the south and western section of the M25 between the M23 and M40, the M5 at Bristol and the A303 in Wiltshire.
Steven Skeates, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said there will be 'changeable weather for many' during the bank holiday weekend.
An area of low pressure could bring 'heavy and possibly even disruptive rain' on Good Friday for parts of south-west England, Northern Ireland and South Wales, he added.
Train passengers are also being warned over disruption as Network Rail prepares to begin its Easter engineering work.
The government-owned company said it will carry out work on more than 300 projects across Britain between Good Friday and Monday, causing a number of lines to be closed.
LeShuttle and the Channel Tunnel are not affected by planned rail closures, although the ticketing changes may catch a large number of travellers unawares.
Previously, drivers who arrived up to two hours after their booked LeShuttle departure time could exchange their tickets free of charge.
Now, Britons travelling across the Channel could face paying hundreds of pounds for premium tickets on the spot if traffic delays mean they are delayed on arrival for their train.
'It will ruin people's holidays'
Jean-Claude Gonneau, 70, discovered at the train station that his €144 return journey had been cancelled because he was slightly late arriving for his intended journey. He had to pay €252 to rebook on the spot.
When an automated ticket machine rejected the retired investment banker's ticket to Britain, he contacted Eurotunnel customer services – only to be told both legs of his trip had been voided because of his late arrival.
The Paris resident said: 'For most families going away for a weekend, if they get cheated and stuck with a £300 to £400 bill, it will completely ruin their holiday.'
He added: 'It's just unbelievable – because I was caught in a terrible traffic jam, I was forced to pay more than €250 for new tickets.
A spokesman for LeShuttle said its new tickets give 'more flexibility and control to our customers'.
'After reviewing customer preferences and behaviours, we decided that we need a new simpler ticket structure that matches the needs of our customers,' said the spokesman.
'If opting for the most restricted ticket, customers must arrive in time to travel on their booked departure and this cannot be changed.
'Our check-in time for this ticket type is at least 60 minutes prior to the booked train and this was explained in the ticket terms, which the customer would have been made aware of at the time of booking.
'Customers must confirm that they have read the ticket terms prior to making a booking.
'We feel that the information provided on our website is in line with other travel providers and our revised ticket terms are displayed clearly.'
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