The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has today written to Eurostar
and new applicants seeking to run cross-channel rail services, to
set out next steps for assigning access to Temple Mills
International depot (TMI). Access to TMI is considered crucial to
providing services from the UK to the continent.
Earlier this year, following access applications from a number of
potential operators, the rail regulator commissioned an
independent assessment of capacity at TMI. The regulator's
initial findings were that there is some capacity available at
TMI for more trains without any changes to current practices, and
some capacity could be delivered through further investment.
ORR subsequently gave stakeholders, including incumbent Eurostar,
an opportunity to provide evidence that would change or support
the report's findings. ORR has now reviewed this evidence and
concluded that the independent assessment is an accurate
reflection of available capacity at TMI. Taken together with
Eurostar and applicants' initial plans, the assessment suggests
there is room for at most one new operator, or for Eurostar to
grow.
ORR now needs Eurostar and applicants to provide the detail of
their plans so it can decide on the best allocation of capacity.
ORR will work quickly to assess plans but is ensuring Eurostar
and applicants have enough time to present a robust case. ORR
expects to be able to reach a conclusion on access to TMI later
this year.
ORR will consider directing access in line with its legal duties,
and take a decision using its established approach to deciding
competing demands for rail capacity. This will include
considering:
- Availability of capacity
- How proposed services will impact operational performance
- Financial and operational readiness and viability
- Economic and societal benefits associated with the
applications
- Views of stakeholders.
Martin Jones, deputy director, access and international,
said: “The growing appetite to provide international
rail services is great news for passengers. We now need operators
to set out more detail on their proposals at pace, and will work
quickly and as thoroughly as possible to determine the best use
of capacity at Temple Mills.”
Notes to editors
-
Letter to Eurostar and new
applicants on the Section 17 process for access to Temple Mills
International depot
-
Consultation IPEX
capacity report, and responses
- ORR has set out the below timeline for considering
applications and directing access to TMI, but this timeline is
subject to receiving prompt representations from Eurostar and
applicants:
- Invite representations from all applicants, Eurostar and
interested persons/parties with a wider interest - to be
received by 3 July 2025
- Invite replies to initial representations - to be
received by 31 July 2025
- ORR to consider all representations, consider if further
clarifications are required, and assess applications - by 30
September 2025
- ORR to issue access decisions - by 31 October 2025
- Access to TMI is considered crucial because it is the only UK
facility with the facilities to support trains that can be used
in the Channel Tunnel and on European tracks.
- Access to TMI is an important step towards offering
additional cross channel services, but it will be some time until
services from new operators are able to run. Applicants will need
to secure regulatory approval in France, in addition to gaining
access to the High Speed 1 line, and procuring rolling stock.
- ORR determines all access applications in the manner we
consider best calculated to achieve our statutory duties, which
are set out mainly in section 4 of the Act and detailed in our
guidance document "Our Rail and Road
Duties”. The weight we place on each duty depends on the
circumstances of each case. Where the duties point in different
directions, we weigh them against each other to help us reach a
decision.
