
Virgin says ‘no more major hurdles' to running cross-Channel trains
Richard Branson's Virgin Group has said there are 'no more major hurdles to overcome' before it can begin operating passenger trains through the Channel tunnel after a decision 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.
Virgin, which previously operated intercity trains in Britain including between London and Glasgow, plans to start rail services connecting the UK capital with Paris and Brussels. It also hopes to run trains to Amsterdam. Earlier this month it said it was raising £700m to fund the plan.
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 … There are no more major hurdles to overcome.' It added: 'We expect to be able to make an announcement very soon.'
Virgin Group was the majority owner of Virgin Trains when it ran domestic services on the west coast mainline from 1997 to 2019.
Gemini Trains, chaired by the Labour peer Tony Berkeley, and the Spanish startup Evolyn are also hoping to run trains through the tunnel.
Andrew Meaney, a partner at the economics and finance consultancy Oxera, which is advising Gemini Trains, said: 'Gemini welcomes that the ORR's transparent process has determined there is available capacity at Temple Mills international depot and we look forward to working with them as they use their duties to allocate this capacity.'
Sign up to Business Today
Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning
after newsletter promotion
Eurostar said the OOR-commissioned report 'confirms' that the depot was 'effectively almost full today for major maintenance work and would require investment to meet the growing demands of international rail'.
It added: 'The options presented in the report could help create some capacity, but this would not be enough to accommodate the stated ambitions of any single operator.'
Separately on Monday, Network Rail's boss, Andrew Haines, announced his retirement amid a government overhaul of the sector. He will leave the company in October after seven years in the role.
The functions of Network Rail, which manages railway infrastructure, will be taken over by Great British Railways, a new state-owned company. The government is consulting on policies to be included in the forthcoming railways bill that will enable the establishment of GBR. Thousands of jobs could go as part of the planned shake-up.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Powys County Times
2 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Napoleonic prisoner of war camp buried under field bought from farmer
A Napoleonic prisoner of war camp buried under a field in Cambridgeshire has been bought by a trust with the intention of preserving it as a historic site. Norman Cross, the world's first purpose-built prisoner of war camp, was privately owned by a farmer, and has been bought by Nene Park Trust. Located near Peterborough, it contains the remains of around 1,770 French, Dutch and German soldiers captured in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars fought between the French and other European nations. The trust says it wants to preserve the site and make it available to the public as a historic and green space. The camp now lies barely visible under a field used for arable crops and grazing. But it previously held a self-contained town, with barracks, offices, a hospital, school, marketplace and banking system, according to historian Paul Chamberlain. It operated from 1797 to 1814 and housed around 7,000 French prisoners. The location was chosen because it was far from the sea, making it difficult for any escapees to return to France. Prisoners made intricate models from bone, wood and straw to sell at the camp market and trade for food, tobacco and wine. Around 800 of these artefacts, which include miniature ships and chateaus, are on display at the nearby Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery. The trust received £200,000 of grant funding from Historic England and £50,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to buy the camp following years of negotiations. Its acquisition was fought for by resident Derek Lopez, who owned the Norman Cross Gallery near Yaxley and was an advocate of Peterborough's history. He died last year before seeing the sale complete. Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: 'The Norman Cross prisoner of war camp represents a pivotal moment in our shared European heritage that deserves to be better known.' Matthew Bradbury, chief executive of Nene Park Trust, said he was 'delighted' to take on the ownership of Norman Cross and wanted 'to share its green space and unique stories for generations to come'. Heritage minister Baroness Twycross said: 'Norman Cross represents a poignant chapter in our shared European story. 'The remarkable stories of those held in what was the first purpose-built prisoner of war camp should be remembered now and in the future. 'This partnership has secured this valuable heritage site for generations to come.'

Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Leader Live
Palace co-owner John Textor would sell shares for Europa League chance
The American, whose Eagle Football Group owns 43 per cent of Palace, has imperilled the club's chance of a first-ever European campaign owing to his involvement with Ligue 1 side Lyon, but is ready to offload his stake to his fellow co-owners in order to bring the saga to an end. UEFA does not allow clubs with the same ownership to compete in the same European competitions in a season. As well as his stake in Palace, the 59-year-old has a controlling stake in the French club, also via Eagle Football. However it is also reported that the European governing body does not consider Textor's influence at Selhurst Park to be decisive and is leaning towards allowing the club into the Europa League regardless. The PA news agency understands no formal decision is likely on Palace's fate until the end of June. Textor has previously spoken of his frustration at how little influence his stake entitles him to, over football matters. Victory for Oliver Glasner's side over Manchester City in last month's FA Cup final gave them their first major trophy and with it a first crack at Europe. However, Nottingham Forest have since written to UEFA to challenge Palace's Europa League spot and in the hope of taking their place. Forest's owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also owns Greek side Olympiacos, placed his shares in the club in a blind trust before the governing body's March 1 deadline, anticipating Nuno Espirito Santo's side's European qualification. At present Forest, who finished seventh in last season's Premier League, are set to enter the Conference League but would take Palace's Europa League place, should they be deemed ineligible.


South Wales Guardian
3 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Palace co-owner John Textor would sell shares for Europa League chance
The American, whose Eagle Football Group owns 43 per cent of Palace, has imperilled the club's chance of a first-ever European campaign owing to his involvement with Ligue 1 side Lyon, but is ready to offload his stake to his fellow co-owners in order to bring the saga to an end. UEFA does not allow clubs with the same ownership to compete in the same European competitions in a season. As well as his stake in Palace, the 59-year-old has a controlling stake in the French club, also via Eagle Football. However it is also reported that the European governing body does not consider Textor's influence at Selhurst Park to be decisive and is leaning towards allowing the club into the Europa League regardless. The PA news agency understands no formal decision is likely on Palace's fate until the end of June. Textor has previously spoken of his frustration at how little influence his stake entitles him to, over football matters. Victory for Oliver Glasner's side over Manchester City in last month's FA Cup final gave them their first major trophy and with it a first crack at Europe. However, Nottingham Forest have since written to UEFA to challenge Palace's Europa League spot and in the hope of taking their place. Forest's owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also owns Greek side Olympiacos, placed his shares in the club in a blind trust before the governing body's March 1 deadline, anticipating Nuno Espirito Santo's side's European qualification. At present Forest, who finished seventh in last season's Premier League, are set to enter the Conference League but would take Palace's Europa League place, should they be deemed ineligible.