Virgin Trains has had its application to share Eurostar’s east London train depot approved by the Office of Rail and Road, paving the way for it to launch international services through the Channel Tunnel.
Access to the depot is a critical requirement for an operator to launch Channel Tunnel services competing with Eurostar.
Temple Mills is the only train depot that can be accessed from High Speed 1, the line that runs between London and the tunnel.
Eurostar trains at the maintenance depot in Temple Mills
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Eurostar has held a monopoly on passenger services through the tunnel since it opened in 1994.
“Allowing Virgin Trains to share this vital facility will give passengers greater choice, better value and improve connectivity for millions, as well as drive innovation, lower fares and promote greener connections with Europe.
“While this decision is an important first step, we recognise there is significant interest in this and depot capacity should not be a barrier to greater competition and growth. We are therefore exploring plans to establish new depot capacity in the UK, supported by private investment, to meet the needs of the market and will set out further plans in due course.
“We will also continue to champion the reopening Ashford and Ebbsfleet International stations as a priority to restore full connectivity, support tourism and boost growth across the region.”
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