Virgin Trains has been given the green light by the Office of Rail and Road to utilize Eurostar’s train depot in east London. This approval sets the stage for Virgin Trains to introduce international services through the Channel Tunnel, breaking Eurostar’s long-standing monopoly on cross-Channel operations that began in 1994.
Following the expiration of Virgin Trains’ contract for the West Coast Main Line in December 2019, the company has not been actively operating trains in the UK. Despite having its application to run access services on the line serving cities like London, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester rejected by the ORR, Virgin Group has now secured access to the Temple Mills site for train maintenance and storage.
The ORR’s decision to grant Virgin Trains access to the depot has been met with enthusiasm. Martin Jones from the ORR emphasized the importance of promoting customer choice and competition in international rail, projecting a potential £700 million private sector investment boost and economic growth. Virgin Group founder, Sir Richard Branson, hailed the decision as a positive step towards ending the long-standing monopoly and injecting innovation into the cross-Channel route.
Rail minister Lord Hendy expressed his satisfaction with the ORR’s decision, highlighting the benefits it will bring to passengers, including greater choice, improved value, and enhanced connectivity for millions of travelers. To further enhance competition and growth, plans are being explored to establish new depot capacity in the UK with private investment support, aiming to meet market demands and foster development.
Despite the existing spare capacity at the Channel Tunnel, only operating at about 50% capacity, the ORR turned down requests from Evolyn, Gemini Trains, and Trenitalia to utilize the Temple Mills depot. Eurostar’s bid to utilize the site’s spare capacity for expansion was also unsuccessful.
In conclusion, the approval of Virgin Trains’ application marks a significant milestone in the evolution of international rail services, promising increased competition, innovation, and investment in the sector.