On 30 October 2025, the United Kingdom‘s Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has announced the approval of Virgin Trains’ application for access to Temple Mills International depot in East London. This is a key step towards launching future cross-border train services through the Channel Tunnel to France.

The decision opens the door to around £700 million of private investment and the creation of 400 new jobs, marking what the regulator called a “win for passengers, customer choice, and economic growth.” Access to the light maintenance facilities at Temple Mills will allow Virgin to progress plans to operate international high-speed services by 2030.

In its decision letter, ORR also rejected rival applications from Evolyn, Gemini and Trenitalia, as well as Eurostar’s position that only the incumbent operator should be allowed to use the depot. 

The regulator said Virgin Trains had presented the “strongest prospects of making the best use of capacity at Temple Mills,” with “financially and operationally robust” plans, clear investor backing, and an agreement in principle to secure suitable rolling stock.

Martin Jones, ORR’s Deputy Director for Access and International, stated: “With this decision we are backing customer choice and competition in international rail, unlocking up to £700 million  in private sector investment and stimulating growth. While there is still some way to go before the first new services can run, we stand ready to work with Virgin Trains as their plans develop.”

While the decision concerns depot access only — and does not compel Virgin to operate specific routes or serve particular stations — many stakeholders had written to ORR welcoming the potential for greater competition on High Speed 1 and the possible reopening of stations such as Ebbsfleet and Ashford in Kent.

A cautious green light — Jon Worth’s analysis

Jon Worth, a long-time observer of European rail policy, described the decision as a “crucial step” toward competition in Channel Tunnel services — but also a conservative one.

According to Worth, Virgin’s bid was “simple, deliverable, achievable, rather uninspiring, and low risk.” 

ORR, he argues, was likely persuaded by the clarity of Virgin’s proposal, which presented a stable financial plan and a clear rolling stock strategy using Alstom’s Avelia Stream trains.

By contrast, Gemini’s proposal — which suggested avoiding St. Pancras International and terminating services at Stratford — was deemed too uncertain to cost effectively. “That might be justifiable short term,” Worth wrote, “but the capacity constraint at St. Pancras is not going to go away. It is just likely not going to be Gemini that’s going to be finding a solution to that problem.”

Trenitalia’s rejection is harder to explain, given that much of its submission was redacted. Worth notes that the Italian operator could, in theory, operate London services without Temple Mills access, depending on its rolling stock strategy, which remains unclear.

The losers, Worth points out, are those in Kent hoping for the revival of international stops at Ebbsfleet and Ashford — both favoured by Gemini and Trenitalia but not by Virgin or Eurostar.

The decision also dims prospects for direct services from London to Germany or Switzerland in the near term. Virgin’s planned Avelia Stream trains will not be compatible with the 15 kV electrification used there, meaning such routes would still rely on Eurostar’s forthcoming Avelia Horizon double-deck fleet.

Incremental progress, limited ambition

The ORR’s ruling thus represents a welcome move toward competition in cross-channel rail — ending Eurostar’s long-held exclusivity at Temple Mills — but not the transformative leap some advocates had hoped for.

As Worth concludes, “Given Eurostar’s sluggish complacency as the incumbent operator, this has to be welcomed. But in opting for Virgin Trains – the most conservative and low risk of the rivals – I can’t help having this nagging feeling there is some opportunity missed here, even if, I suppose, some competition here is better than none at all.”

Channel Tunnel updates

• Eurostar unveils €2 billion Alstom ‘Celestia’ fleet of double-decker sustainable trains.
• Channel Tunnel competition plans hinge on depot access as Gemini Trains reveals Siemens–Uber partnership.
• Gemini Trains partners with Uber for Stratford to France Channel Tunnel route.
• CHANNEL TUNNEL | UK and Germany renew London-Berlin vows, Virgin Trains promise Alstom Avelia Stream train sets.
• 2025 | The Channel Tunnel prepares for more trains, more competition and new destinations.
• United Kingdom and Germany are aiming for a direct London – Berlin train link.
• Eurostar and St. Pancras Highspeed back major station expansion to double capacity amid growing international demand.
• EUROSTAR | London – Frankfurt, London – Geneva and Amsterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Geneva from 2030?.
• Alstom wants its double-decker trains to ride through Channel Tunnel.
• CHANNEL TUNNEL | Uber Trains-branded Gemini Trains plan London-Brussels and London-Paris route via Stratford.
• London to Switzerland direct train moves a little closer with new bilateral agreement.
• Eurostar calls for UK national strategy and investment to shape future of Channel Tunnel Rail and promises 50 new trains.
• Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) plan to launch a new high-speed link between London and Paris.
• London St. Pancras Highspeed pledges financial support for cross-Channel rail services.
• Competition for Eurostar? Temple Mills International Depot has space for competitor’s trains.
• London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink aspire to to triple train services to France, Belgium and the Netherlands and add services to Germany and Switzerland.
• Heuro wants to operate high speeds trains between Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Paris and London from 2028.

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