Eurostar will once again take passengers from Ashford to Brussels from March 12.

The relaunch was supposed to happen last month but the Channel Tunnel fire caused the train company to put the plans on ice.

Although the March 12 date has been confirmed by Eurostar, and tickets are available for that date onwards on their website, they did not announce it. Instead it was discovered – almost by accident – by campaigner for the service, Edith Robson.

“It was simply by chance. I was booking tickets at the station and the people there said I could book from March 12,” she said.

Mrs Robson fought hard to try and save the original Ashford to Brussels service, but it was axed when Ebbsfleet opened in North Kent just over a year ago.

Since then Mrs Robson has been fighting to bring back services and is delighted by the news. Her husband works in Brussels and the couple are regular travellers and have had a much longer journey since the direct service stopped.

When asked why the train company had not announced the new date, a spokesman for Eurostar said they are waiting until February.

Mrs Robson was not surprised by the lack of publicity and feels Ashford loses out to the other Kent station.

“Ebbsfleet had two for one fares, adverts for television, there are plans for an art sculpture, we haven’t had anything like that,” she said.