Eurotunnels profits almost wiped out

725AM GMT 09 March 2010

Eurotunnel"s increase in 2009 were roughly wiped out by a glow and the closure of the use due to cold continue

The association reported a distinction of 1.5 million euros (�1.36m) for 2009 compared with a distinction of 44 million euros in 2008. Revenues tumbled to 571m euros from 703m.

A glow in the tunnel, that links the UK to France and carries both passengers and freight, in Sep 2008 caused intrusion for months afterwards. In Dec of last year, the association angry passengers after it was forced to postpone services for days since of the cold weather.

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Jacques Gounon, Eurotunnel"s arch senior manager and chairman, shielded the dump in profits, arguing that "the opening shows that the organisation is in great figure to good from the mercantile recovery, as shortly as it begins."

However, the association pronounced it usually stayed in the black last year after engagement 33 million euros in fire-related word payments that it has nonetheless to receive.

The mercantile slack that gathering both France and the UK in to retrogression last year additionally strike business. The volume of lorry trade was down 39pc on last year, whilst car trade edged 0.5pc higher.