51-668: Ebbsfleet International railway station is in Ebbsfleet Valley , Kent , 10 miles (16 kilometres) east of London , England, near Dartford and the Bluewater Shopping Centre to the west and Gravesend to the east. The station, part of the Thames Gateway urban regeneration project, is on the High Speed 1 (HS1) rail line, 300 metres (980 feet) south-west of Northfleet railway station , off
102-681: A 660-acre expanse, further mirroring the region's ongoing evolution from its chalk and cement industry origins. Ebbsfleet International railway station is served by Southeastern High Speed and formerly, Eurostar services. Ebbsfleet was served by Arriva bus services 484, 485 and 485A but it has since been replaced by the ArrivaClick demand responsive transport on 30 November 2020. Route C2 operated by Go-Coach (it will be operated by Fastrack soon ) runs from Ebbsfleet's Castle Hill to Gravesend . The football team Gravesend and Northfleet FC changed their name to Ebbsfleet United F.C. in
153-473: A new school operating from the same building and serving the same communities, but under entirely new management and largely new staff. Environmental sustainability has been outlined as a cornerstone of the development strategy for Ebbsfleet Garden City. Key initiatives include: The development of Ebbsfleet Garden City is expected to have a substantial economic impact both locally and nationally. Key points include: North Kent Line The North Kent Line
204-609: A total of 9,000 car parking spaces to be constructed, with an initial 6,000 built. The car parks are in a number of areas around the station - north of the North Kent Line, between the North Kent Line and High Speed 1, south of the High Speed 1 and south west of the station building. The station is served by Fastrack buses operated by Go Ahead London , which connect it to Dartford , Bluewater , Greenhithe , Swanscombe and Gravesend . Despite being in close proximity to
255-521: Is electrified (750 V DC third rail). Electrification was initially to Dartford (6 June 1926) and was extended to Gillingham by World War Two. From 1999 until 2002, there were semi-fast trains running from Plumstead to London Victoria , temporarily resuming a 1980s service pattern. This service was for the Millennium Dome ; trains called at Woolwich Arsenal, Charlton, Blackheath, Lewisham, Peckham Rye, then ran non-stop to London Victoria. There
306-649: Is a new town and redevelopment area in Kent , South East England , and part of the Thames Gateway , southwest of Gravesend . Development is coordinated by the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation. It is named after the valley of the Ebbsfleet River , which it straddles. Although a small part of the site in the east lies within the borough of Gravesham , Ebbsfleet Valley primarily sits in the borough of Dartford . The name Ebbsfleet
357-614: Is a railway line which branches off the South East Main Line at St Johns junction west of Lewisham station in Greater London and runs to Rochester Bridge Junction near Strood , Medway where it links to the Chatham Main Line . The section from Charlton to Dartford is also referred to as the "Woolwich Line" in the context of Southeastern Metro services. The North Kent Line was the means by which
408-520: Is an artificial creation of a seventeenth-century antiquarian, partly inspired by the name of Ebbsfleet in Thanet , 47 mi (76 km) to the east. Much of the land is brownfield and was formerly used by industry; having been previously owned by the APCM , Blue Circle and most recently by Lafarge . The new community is planned to have a population of 40,000. Ebbsfleet International railway station
459-547: Is in the borough of Dartford and therefore outside Gravesham council's authority); Southfleet Parish Council; and Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council, both in the Borough of Dartford. The similarity of its name to that of Dartford railway station , 6 mi (9.7 km) away, was also of concern. The Olympic Javelin or Javelin was a high-speed train shuttle service operated by Southeastern over High Speed 1 during
510-664: Is marked by the Ebbsfleet Central project, envisioned to transform the area around Ebbsfleet International Station into a modern urban hub. Furthermore, Ebbsfleet Central and Health, Education, and Innovation Quarter (HEiQ) are significant mixed-use developments in the planning stages, aimed at providing a vibrant city centre with community, cultural facilities, and retail spaces. The region also has plans for over 50 new parks and open spaces , with specific projects like City Parks and Cherry Orchard Primary Academy at different stages of development. The development
561-446: Is partly inspired by the name of Ebbsfleet in Thanet , 47 mi (75 km) to the east. The £180m station opened to Eurostar passengers on 19 November 2007, five days after the rest of HS1. This was because the security and ticketing equipment had to be transferred from Waterloo International and reinstalled at the station. The first daily service was the 05:38 service to Paris, arriving at its destination 132 minutes later. Serving
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#1732775407149612-474: Is referred to as a garden city, intended to be sustainable with publicly owned infrastructure and facilities, with inhabitants working on the estates. This was said to be inspired by the Stockholm suburbs such as Hammarby where the design there is to have cycleways, and 1,500 self-build homes, houseboats and parkland. The planning committee chair, Derek Hunnisett, said "We are looking for a higher quality than
663-607: The 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics . The service ran for the duration of both games, between St Pancras International station and this station, via Stratford International station , which is close to the Olympic Park . During the Summer Olympics a service of eight trains an hour ran between St Pancras and Ebbsfleet, calling at Stratford, replacing the usual East Kent highspeed service. Two of these were extended to Ashford and one to Faversham. Between 11pm and 1am
714-580: The A2 trunk road, 5 mi (8.0 km) from its junction with the M25 motorway . It served as a primary park-and-rail service for the London 2012 Olympics. Ebbsfleet International is owned by HS1 Ltd, which operates the High Speed 1 railway and St Pancras railway station , Stratford International , Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International . The name Ebbsfleet dates from the seventeenth-century. The station
765-709: The Bexleyheath line and 2tph to Cannon Street via Sidcup and Hither Green on the Dartford Loop Line . Luton to Rainham 2tph, Semi Fast calling all stations to West Hampstead Thameslink, St Pancras International , Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, London Bridge, Deptford, Greenwich (for DLR), Maze Hill, Westcombe Park, Charlton, Woolwich Arsenal (for DLR), Plumstead, Abbey Wood (for Elizabeth Line), Slade Green, Dartford, Stone Crossing, Greenhithe (for Bluewater), Swanscombe, Northfleet, Gravesend and all stations to Rainham. As of May 2019 ,
816-565: The Neolithic age has been discovered; such pots give their name to an important sub-culture of the period. Belgic Britons , in the late Iron Age have left behind traces of their culture. Prior to the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in this area, archaeological work undertaken at Ebbsfleet found an Anglo-Saxon mill. The river, which is fed by eight natural springs at Springhead ( Latin : Vagniacis ),
867-861: The South Eastern Railway (SER) was able to connect its system to London at London Bridge . In 1846 the SER purchased the Thames and Medway Canal tunnel near Higham and laid railway tracks through it; in 1847 trains were working through from the Strood terminus , on the River Medway to Gravesend . From 30 July 1849 the line was extended, via Blackheath , to a junction with the London and Greenwich Railway at North Kent East Junction, near Deptford , and through trains were now able to operate. The line
918-496: The Thames Gateway , the station had an initial service of seven weekday trains to Paris and five to Brussels. A 2,500-space car park was provided. A formal opening ceremony in the presence of Dame Kelly Holmes took place on 29 January 2008. Residents of Ashford complained that the service at Ashford International was downgraded to compensate for the stop at Ebbsfleet and that it made more sense for them now to use Eurotunnel Shuttle services. "Ebbsfleet International Station"
969-512: The arable land and woodland for chalk and clay over the subsequent century, morphing Swanscombe into a locality encircled by vast chalk pits and escarpments. The legacy of the chalk and cement industry has set the foundation for contemporary developments. The former site of Northfleet Cement Works is undergoing redevelopment to house 532 new residences as part of the Ebbsfleet Garden City initiative. This project also entails
1020-660: The A2 junctions in the area, citing a traffic increase of 200%. There will be a trial by BT of a fibre network in the Ebbsfleet valley, potentially offering the highest speed internet connection to home users in the United Kingdom, with the exception of Ashford in Kent. It has been confirmed they will be offering speeds of 100 Mbit/s which will transfer TV, Broadband and Telephone via optical fibre. Businesses and residents of
1071-641: The British Chancellor of the Exchequer attempted to kick start the project by injecting £300 million. Richard Rogers , a former government adviser on cities, said: "They shouldn’t be building down there. East London still has masses of brownfield land, so why are we building 15 miles out? This is not a sustainable option." Ebbsfleet Garden City is witnessing a significant developmental phase with numerous planning permissions granted for residential, educational, and mixed-use projects, aligning with
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#17327754071491122-547: The Ebbsfleet Garden City housing development project; however, it was never needed. This station has bilingual signage, both in French and English . It is one of the relatively few stations in England to have bilingual signage, others being Wallsend (Latin), Southall ( Punjabi ), Hereford (Welsh), Whitechapel (Bengali), St Pancras and Ashford International (French). The Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) Act allows
1173-512: The London area being served by at least 4 trains per hour, with Lewisham having 14tph. London Charing Cross to Dartford 2tph, calling at Waterloo East, London Bridge fast to Lewisham (for DLR), Blackheath, Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard, Woolwich Arsenal (for DLR), Plumstead , Abbey Wood (for Elizabeth Line) Belvedere, Erith, Slade Green and Dartford. London Cannon Street to Slade Green all stations via Greenwich 4tph, of which 2tph continue back to Cannon Street via Bexleyheath and Lewisham on
1224-573: The Southeastern High-speed services. Southeastern services travelling between London and the North Kent Line use a junction to the north of the station and are served by another pair of platforms that curve away to the east. Ticket barriers control access to all platforms. A partially built and disused concrete overbridge can be seen to the south of the station. This is believed to have been put in place in preparation for
1275-503: The area will be given a new telephone dialling code, 01987, though the small number of users who already have numbers allocated from the neighbouring codes (01322 or 01474) are able to retain them. The 01987 code was adopted in April 2008, in preference to the vacant 01321 code. The area formed part of the civil parish of Swanscombe and Greenhithe until 2 May 2019 and then became an unparished area . The review of goverance leading up to
1326-467: The broader vision of evolving into a well-integrated, sustainable community. The residential sector is seeing a substantial increase in new homes, with various projects at different stages of planning and construction. Notable residential developments include: Educational Developments are also part of the strategic plan, with Alkerden Education Campus and Cable Wharf School among the institutions being developed. The Mixed-Use Developments segment
1377-674: The change had included the option for a new civil parish of Ebbsfleet with a community council. In 2015, the government established the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation as a non-departmental public body of the Department of Communities and Local Government under the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) Order 2015 The purpose of the development corporation is to oversee development by private housebuilders and act as local planning authority for planning permission requests relating to
1428-466: The concept of a new garden city , quality of housing, and insufficient planning. Critics argue that the initial proposal for a garden city was a veil over inadequate planning and expressed concerns over the slow pace of housing construction and the quality of the built homes. Additionally, the aspiration for a healthy urbanism initiative is a response to ensure high-quality housing and well-integrated social and economic infrastructure, addressing some of
1479-405: The conversion of former chalk quarries and cement manufacturing facilities into a mixed-use domain featuring up to 15,000 new homes, 6 million ft² of commercial space, and 3 million ft² of retail, leisure, community, and educational facilities. Moreover, recent planning approval signifies a substantial advancement in realizing a scheme at a former quarry site in Kent, envisaging 1,700 homes within
1530-530: The core destinations (Paris, Brussels and Lille) and the Disneyland Paris service, but with much more frequent services. Eurostar services are not used for non-international journeys, as the infrastructure and train design is not suitable for national travel, and there is no feasible reason to do so. Since the station's opening, Eurostar has withheld passenger usage statistics for international services, citing commercial confidentiality. As of May 2019,
1581-471: The criticisms indirectly. In the following May, London Paramount Entertainment Resort were given permission to build a theme park on potential housing land on the adjoining Swanscombe Peninsula site, nationally significant infrastructure project status, allowing the developers to bypass local planning requirements and build a leisure complex that by 2019 may create employment for 27,000 people. Highways England consulted, in early 2017, about improvements to
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1632-457: The designated development area. The Ebbsfleet River is of great historical importance in English history and prehistory, and much archaeological excavation has taken place here over the years. Quarrying here has revealed signs of extensive occupation some 100,000 years ago: flint knapping was carried out here, the remains of a straight-tusked elephant have been found. Distinctive pottery from
1683-474: The landscape. In 1796, James Parker established kilns along the Northfleet Creek for the production of 'Roman' cement , marking the inception of large-scale cement works in the river stretch. This industry had a profound impact on the region, notably illustrated in 1868 when Swanscombe Manor, primarily a rural area, was sold to cement magnate Thomas Bevan. This sale catalysed extensive excavation of
1734-473: The new Thameslink services from Luton calling at all but some stations to Rainham (Kent). The line diverges from the Southeastern Main Line at Lewisham Vale junction at the south-east end of St Johns railway station , and runs as far as Rochester Bridge junction beside the River Medway on the north coast of mid-Kent. The North Kent Line is a high-frequency line, with all stations in
1785-546: The normal and what we are getting [so far] is the norm – standard off-the-peg stuff.". The nearest house is less than 20 minutes walk to Ebbsfleet International station. The current development already contradicts policy and academic papers written in recent times to inform the coalition government's 'blueprint'. "A strong landscape structure, that matures over time to create a leafy green character. Tree lined streets, green verges and planted front gardens" . The Ebbsfleet Garden City development has faced criticisms concerning
1836-638: The possible routes between the stations. Gravesham Council acknowledges that the existing provision is inadequate, although it is a complex planning issue to resolve as whilst Northfleet is in Gravesham, Ebbsfleet station is just over the border in the Borough of Dartford , and there are many other stakeholders involved. On 29 June 2009, Southeastern started a weekday preview service between St Pancras International and Ebbsfleet International , extending to Ashford International during peak hours. On 7 September
1887-468: The project seeks to accelerate high-quality development enriched with local job opportunities, green spaces, and necessary infrastructure to make Ebbsfleet a desirable living and working hub. Being an original NHS Healthy Town, a health and wellbeing hub along with new cycleways and footpaths to Bluewater are proposed. Over 40% of the area is dedicated to green and blue spaces, fostering a nature-friendly environment for residents and visitors. In November 2015,
1938-462: The service between St Pancras and Ebbsfleet was increased to twelve per hour. In September 2020, Eurostar announced that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent collapse in ticket revenue (down by 90%), both Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations would not be served by Eurostar services until at least 2022. In September 2021, Eurostar confirmed that services would not resume until 2023, despite complaints by local politicians that this
1989-585: The service pattern is: Off-peak & Saturday: Sunday: Peak hour frequencies vary, with services from the Bexleyheath and Dartford loop lines also running to and from stations to Gillingham. Abbey Wood station has been rebuilt to become the eastern terminus of the Elizabeth Line. However, a possible extension of the Elizabeth line to Gravesend has been safeguarded. Train services working
2040-650: The service was enhanced by a few services to Ramsgate via Canterbury West or Dover . A regular service began on 13 December 2009. The typical off-peak service in trains per hour was: Additional trains, in peak hours only, serve Maidstone West , Broadstairs via the Medway towns, and Sandwich . All domestic services at Ebbsfleet International are operated by Southeastern using Class 395 EMUs . The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is: Additional services, including two daily return services between London St Pancras International and Maidstone West call at
2091-475: The station during the peak hours. Since the opening of Ebbsfleet station in 2007, Eurostar has transferred a number of trips from Ashford to the newer station. Ashford International has a wider variety of destinations such as Calais, Lille, Brussels, Disneyland Paris, the French Alps, Paris, Lyon, Avignon and Marseille, but with fewer services to them. In contrast, Ebbsfleet International has services to only
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2142-458: The station, Northfleet has no bus connection to the station. There is a taxi rank directly outside the station entrance/exit. Car rental services for both leisure and business are located in the concourse. The interchange facilities lie at either end of the main station box - taxis, buses and set down at the northern end (to also serve the NKL platforms) and coaches to the south of the station box. It
2193-573: The summer of 2007. Another move to promote a sense of identity in the new town is a planned landmark, which when built will be 50 m (160 ft) high (twice as high as the Angel of the North ) and is intended to be visible from road, rail and air. However, in June 2012, the project was stalled by a lack of funding. Swan Valley Community School closed in 2013, and was replaced by The Ebbsfleet Academy ,
2244-434: The typical Eurostar services was: Eurostar services have been suspended since 31 March 2020. As of August 2022, Eurostar intends to resume service in 2025 at the earliest. 51°26′34.94″N 0°19′15.18″E / 51.4430389°N 0.3208833°E / 51.4430389; 0.3208833 Other alternative routes from London to Dartford via Sidcup and via Bexleyheath . Ebbsfleet Valley Ebbsfleet Valley
2295-460: The walking distance between the two stations is significantly longer, approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) if roadside footpaths are followed. There is a shorter walking route (approximately 1,000 metres (3,300 ft)) through the car park to the north of Ebbsfleet station, but there are no footpaths provided and this way is obstructed by the car park access barriers. There are no specific pedestrian or cycle route signs for Ebbsfleet station on any of
2346-494: Was "bad for Kent". Eurostar stated that it would resume services when commercially sensible to do so, as it would initially "focus on destinations where demand is highest". A further update in August 2022 confirmed that Eurostar might not resume serving the station (along with Ashford) until at least 2025. On High Speed 1 there are avoiding lines in each direction and four platforms, two serving international Eurostar services and two
2397-704: Was also an early morning semi-fast service to London Blackfriars from Dartford in the 1980s. In 2003, there were plans to run a Plumstead to Clapham Junction service across South London which had never came to fruition. Until May 2018, there were regular semi-fast services to Gillingham (Kent) from London Charing Cross via Lewisham (for DLR) and Woolwich Arsenal (for DLR) operated by Southeastern calling at Waterloo East, London Bridge then non-stop to Lewisham (for DLR), Blackheath, Charlton, Woolwich Arsenal (for DLR), Abbey Wood (for Elizabeth line ), Dartford, Greenhithe (for Bluewater), Gravesend and then all stations to Gillingham (Kent). Since then, these services were replaced by
2448-417: Was formerly planned that Crossrail would terminate at a separate station between Northfleet and Ebbsfleet International but under the current plan, Abbey Wood further west will be the eastern terminus. However, a Crossrail extension from Abbey Wood to Gravesend ( Hoo Junction ) remains safeguarded. Northfleet railway station is approximately 400 metres (1,300 ft) to the north-east, although
2499-648: Was held sacred by the Celts who settled in the area around 100 BC. They were followed by the Romans ; their Watling Street passes through the site, and a villa has been excavated. A large flooded quarry, Sawyer's Lake, can be found nearby. The chalk and cement industry holds a long-standing presence in the Ebbsfleet Valley, stemming from the region's abundant chalk deposits which have been exploited over centuries for cement production, significantly altering
2550-536: Was opened in November 2007 and used to provide services to Continental Europe on High Speed 1 . It will no longer serve Ebbsfleet or Ashford. Domestic services to St Pancras railway station in central London are operated by Southeastern . In March 2014, the British government announced its intention to construct a garden city at Ebbsfleet for up to 15,000 homes. Spanning Gravesham and Dartford boroughs,
2601-420: Was the name originally proposed for the station, but "Dartford International Station" was later proposed at the urging of Eurostar , who felt that Dartford was a name with greater national recognition. Opposition to Eurostar's ‘Dartford International’ proposal came from Gravesham Borough Council , whose administrative centre at Gravesend is just two miles (3.2 km) away (even though Ebbsfleet International
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