Another Consequnce Of The Disasterous Schengen Area?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4146246/Terrorists-fast-train-Britain.html

[naomi24]

Not really. The problem for us seems to be the lack of border controls here. If the countries signed up to Schengen have no objection to all and sundry passing through their borders unimpeded that’s their business, but it’s up to us to ensure that it doesn’t happen here. Anyone arriving in London without proper documentation should be put straight back on the returning train.

[mushroom25]

seems the train company are ok with passengers travelling from Lille to London without a valid portion of a ticket. in the UK, travelling ticket staff are known to behave like the Wehrmacht; why aren't they excessing these people for the cost of a new ticket?

[youngmafbog]

The Eurostar works in a different way to airports, you are passport checked on the way out and not on the way in. Lille is an anomaly when catching the bruxelles service.

There are no checks on tickets on the trains other than on boarding first class. It would be quite difficult to do given the size of the train I think.

[naomi24]

//you are passport checked on the way out and not on the way in.//

Precisely. So the answer is simple.

[youngmafbog]

The answer sounds simple, implementation is a whole new ball game.

[naomi24]

A manned barrier at this end can't be too difficult to install. It's not rocket science.

[youngmafbog]

Perhaps the simplest answer is dont stop at Lille. If I remember rightly Thalys and TGV both stop there.

[youngmafbog]

No it is not rocket science, but the barrier will have to be built and manned, therefore cash and resources needed. Who pays?

Dont get me wrong I agree something needs to be done.

[naomi24]

Everything has to be paid for. The cost of a simple manned barrier isn't going to break the bank.

[Old_Geezer]

I think that the onus is at the destination, they have most incentive. But France/the rest of the area, will be failing in their duty in not stopping those without passports from leaving, too. One would have hoped countries felt enough pride in themselves not to ignore their responsibilities.

[Gromit]

We are not in the Schengen Area.

Gaps in our border control are down to the Government not taking it seriously, and not employing enough people to guard our borders.

Government incompetence not the EU.

[youngmafbog]

But we are short of border staff as it is, surely best solution like I say is ban any trains stopping at Lille from entering the UK?

I traveled that line regularly for a few years when working in Bruxelles and Paris, not many people get off there.

[youngmafbog]

/Government incompetence not the EU.//

Well it all changed under labour .......

[Lynn_M]

How could they be so naive? Actually, they're not. They're deliberately destroying western civilisation so they can build it up again in their own image. Communism via the back door, in other words

[Gromit]

Ymb,
Why couldn't you have just shown your passport when you arrive back in England?

Airplanes and ships require passports, why not trains. If we want to keep some people out, we have to do a passport check. Anyone coming from France or Belgium must have their passport inspected because we are NOT part of the Schengen area.

[Gromit]

// Communism via the back door //

This incometence is the fault of the Conservative Government.