Total revenues fell 16% to Euros 571 million excluding insurance
indemnities, while net profits dropped from Euros 34 million to Euros
1.4 million. There was a strong decline in cross-channel lorry traffic,
which fell 20% below levels seen in 2007, the last comparable year,
while the number of cars using the shuttle service rose by 0.5% over 2008 levels, with a
decline in the first half being offset by a strong recovery in traffic
during the second half of the year.
Despite the high-profile
failure of five trains and the subsequent suspension of services in
December, Eurostar carried a record 9.2 million passengers during 2009.
The number of freight trains using the tunnel fell 12% overall,
although the steep decline in the first half was partly compensated by
2.4% growth in the second half, compared with the same period in 2008.
Total revenues from Eurostar and railfreight operations remained stable
at Euros 250 million.
A fire in September 2008 meant the tunnel
could not operate at full capacity until February 9, and Eurotunnel has
continued to feel the effects of the incident.