Transport companies looking to challenge Eurostar on routes from London to mainland Europe have received a significant boost from the UK’s rail regulator.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) announced that Eurostar’s London depot at Temple Mills could accommodate additional trains “if required.” This follows the release of an independent report examining the feasibility of expanding the depot’s capacity.
Virgin Group, one of the companies aiming to compete with Eurostar, hailed the move as “a green signal for competition.” Access to an appropriate depot in London is crucial for any new international train operator.
According to the ORR, some changes to the depot’s “operational and maintenance arrangements,” along with potential modifications to its infrastructure, would be necessary to allow more trains to use the facility.
The report was commissioned by the ORR in response to increasing interest in offering more services between London’s St Pancras station and mainland Europe.
In addition to Virgin, several other companies—including Spain’s Evolyn, the Dutch start-up Heuro, and UK-based Gemini Trains—have shown interest in providing international services from St Pancras.
A spokesperson for Virgin Group said: “Temple Mills depot is the only facility in the UK that can accommodate European-style trains. Claims that it was at full capacity have prevented Virgin from entering the market.”
The spokesperson continued: “We are pleased with the outcome and thank the ORR for commissioning the report. This will now open the door for more competition on the cross-Channel route, benefiting all passengers. We believe there are no more major hurdles to overcome, and Virgin is ready to bring its award-winning experience to the line. We expect to make an announcement soon.”
In response, Eurostar stated that the report indicated the depot “is almost full today for major maintenance work” and would need investment to meet the growing demands of international rail travel.
“While the options outlined in the report could help create some capacity, it wouldn’t be enough to meet the needs of all operators,” Eurostar said. “This includes the three organisations that have applied to the regulator, as well as Eurostar itself.”
Eurostar added that it was willing to invest in new maintenance capacity to support its growth plans, suggesting that other operators should consider doing the same.
The ORR has now begun a consultation process, inviting stakeholders to submit evidence supporting or challenging the report’s initial findings by April 28.
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