The Eurostar is calling possible rivals to invest in new depot facilities, as it insists that the international rail wants to “find solutions to increase the journey”.
It filed a petition after the regulator, The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said that some capacity could be made available to other operators in the Temple Mills Maintenance Depot of Eurosar in North-East London last month.
There is a significant requirement for launching services competing with Eurostar for access companies to a suitable depot to maintain and store trains.
Several organizations who developed a plan to run trains through the channel tunnel announced the ORR, the Virgin Group said that there were no other major obstacles to remove “before starting operation”.
But the Eurosar said on Monday that a report by consultants for ORR does not support the suggestions of IPEX operators that “adequate capacity (in temple mills) existed to meet their needs”.
The company said that it is “investing billions of pounds in new trains, stations and facilities”, but its own development plans have not yet been “considered” by the regulator.
It states that the UK needs “clear national strategy” to support international rail with options beyond temple mills.
It may include other depots such as the Ashford Train Maintenance Center of South East and Hitachi, Dollands Moore Freight Yard and Singlewell Infrastructure Maintenance Depot, Kent.
Eurosar General Secretary Gareth Williams said: “We support competition and development through international rail, but without severe investment in infrastructure to build more rooms, we do not risk fulfilling the huge potential of permanent European travel.
“It is a very positive problem to solve as demand and is interested.
“The Eurosar wants to help find solutions.
“Now what is needed is a big picture vision and investment by any operator that wishes in Temple Mills and the new depot facilities beyond.”
He said: “The Eurosar is ready to cooperate with the government and the regulator on a structure that will unlock private investment, increase sustainable travel, and distribute world class rail services for more passengers.”
London St. Pancris High Speed, which owns the high-speed line between London and Tunnel and London St. Pancris Station, recently announced that it would offer a low fee to operators running additional international services, stating that the line is running at about 50% capacity.
From London, Eurosar serves Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, as well as seasonal ski trains for French Alps.
Gatelink – French owner of the channel tunnel – believes that London and Bordeaux, Cologne, Frankfurt, Geneva, Marsile and Zurich have capacity for services.
