RISE IN CARS HEADING THROUGH CHANNEL TUNNEL 06/09/2010, By By Peter Woodman, Press Association

THERE WAS a sharp rise in the number of cars carried through the Channel tunnel by the Eurotunnel company this summer, it has been announced.

A total of 533,238 cars travelled on Eurotunnel passenger shuttles between Folkestone and Calais in July and August this year - 17% more than in the same two months last year.

August 14 proved a record day, with 14,825 cars and 150 coaches transported through the tunnel.

One-way records were also broken this summer, with 9,382 vehicles (including cars) travelling from Folkestone on July 23 and the France to England all-time high being surpassed on August 29, with 8,869 vehicles travelling.

On July 21, Eurotunnel celebrated the crossing of the 250 millionth passenger transported through the tunnel since services started in 1994.

Eurotunnel's commercial director Jo Willacy said: "The intense activity through the summer shows that "Le Shuttle" is the perfect answer to our customers expectations: it is value for money and respectful of the environment.

"Our whole commercial strategy is aimed at increasing our traffic and our performance this summer is an incentive to continue in the same vein."