Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group said there are “no more major hurdles to overcome” before it can begin operating passenger trains through the Channel Tunnel following an announcement by the rail regulator.
The company owned by the billionaire entrepreneur made the claim after the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said some capacity at Eurostar’s Temple Mills maintenance depot in north-east London could be made available to other operators.
Access to a suitable depot for maintaining and storing trains has been cited by the industry as a critical requirement for companies to compete with Eurostar.
The ORR made its statement after receiving an independent report it commissioned to investigate the issue.
The regulator said: “Eurostar’s London depot would be able, if required, to accommodate additional trains.”
It added: “Changes to operational and maintenance arrangements at the depot, as well as possible alterations to infrastructure, would be required to access extra capacity and allow more trains to be stabled/maintained there.”
Eurostar holds a monopoly in running passenger services through the Channel Tunnel, which opened in 1994.
A Virgin Group spokesperson said: “Finally a green signal for competition. The Temple Mills depot is the only facility in the UK which can accommodate European-style trains and claims suggesting it was at capacity have been blocking Virgin from coming to the line.
“Virgin is therefore very pleased with the outcome and we thank the ORR for commissioning this report, which will now unlock competition on the cross-Channel route for the benefit of all passengers.
“There are no more major hurdles to overcome, and Virgin is ready to take up the challenge, given its award-winning experience in the train industry and track record for building globally successful travel brands.
“We expect to be able to make an announcement very soon. Watch this space.”
Spanish start-up company Evolyn, and Gemini Trains – chaired by Labour peer Lord Berkeley – are also hoping to run trains through the tunnel.
Virgin Group was the majority owner of Virgin Trains when it ran domestic services on the West Coast Main Line from 1997 to 2019.
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