Profits leap at Eurotunnel

Increased traffic due to the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics helped Channel Tunnel company Eurotunnel to more than triple profits last year.

The company’s net profit rose from €11 million (£9.4m) in 2011 to €34m in 2012, it was revealed yesterday. Almost 20 million passengers and 20 million tonnes of goods used the Channel Tunnel last year,

Also boosted by the “Jubilympics”, the tunnel’s high-speed train operator, Eurostar, increased passenger numbers by 2 per cent to more than 9.9 million in 2012.

Eurotunnel said: “Activity remains positive, but as 2012 benefited from some exceptional events, traffic is unlikely to see a repeat of 2012’s strong growth, even with the British public taking more and more short breaks on the Continent via Le Shuttle.”