Virgin Trains is set to launch international services through the Channel Tunnel after its application to share Eurostar’s east London depot was approved.
Regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) granted access to Sir Richard Branson’s company to use the Temple Mills site for maintaining and storing trains.
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 has held a monopoly on passenger services through the tunnel since it opened in 1994.
Virgin Trains is planning to launch competing services in 2030.
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