The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has approved Virgin Trains’ application for access to Temple Mills International depot. Access to Temple Mills is an important first step towards being able to operate cross border train services using the channel tunnel.
This decision unlocks plans for around £700 million of investment in new services and the creation of 400 new jobs, in a win for passengers, customer choice, and economic growth. Virgin Trains can now be confident it will have access to the light maintenance facilities it needs to run its planned international services.
ORR set out its decision to approve Virgin Trains’ application, and reject applications from Evolyn, Gemini and Trenitalia, in a decision letter today. Informed by independent analysis, and having also considered Eurostar’s growth plans, the regulator considers that Virgin Trains has the strongest prospects of making the best use of capacity at Temple Mills.
Overall, Virgin Trains’ plans were more financially and operationally robust than those of other applicants, and it provided clear evidence of investor backing and an agreement in principle to deliver the necessary and appropriate rolling stock.
ORR carefully weighed its legal duties to reach this decision, including considering the views of stakeholders and the economic benefits of the plans.
Many stakeholders wrote to ORR to welcome the prospect of competition on the High Speed 1 line, which is expected to increase choice for passengers, and many also wrote concerning the reopening of stations in Kent. ORR’s decision today however strictly concerns access to Temple Mills; it does not, and ORR cannot, require Virgin Trains to run specific services or stop them from changing what destinations they plan to serve.
There are a number of steps before new international services will be able to run. Virgin Trains will now need to enter into a commercial agreement with Eurostar, as the operator of Temple Mills, and must secure finance, access to track and stations, and safety approvals from ORR and the relevant authorities in the EU. Virgin Trains plans to begin running services in 2030.
The approval follows a lengthy application process. ORR received depot access applications from Evolyn Mobility Ltd on 23 August 2024, Virgin Trains Europe Holdings Limited on 23 October 2024, Gemini Trains on 28 February 2025, and Trenitalia France on 28 March 2025. ORR also reviewed depot use expansion plans from Eurostar International Ltd submitted on 18 July 2025.
On 28 March 2025, ORR launched a consultation on an independent report from IPEX, commissioned by ORR, which said some capacity could be made available at Temple Mills. On 5 June, ORR determined that the IPEX report was an accurate reflection of capacity at Temple Mills, saying that there was enough capacity for one additional operator or for Eurostar to grow.
Before new international services can run, Virgin Trains must complete several commercial and regulatory processes, including securing financing and rolling stock, obtaining track access to HS1 and Eurotunnel, securing station access to St Pancras and other HS1 stations, accessing heavy maintenance facilities, and obtaining safety certification and rolling stock authorisation in both the UK and EU, including for the Channel Tunnel.
Martin Jones, Deputy Director, Access and International, said: “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.”
Calvin Bailey MBE, Member of Parliament for Leyton and Wanstead, said: “This decision must act as a green light for growth, seizing the exciting national opportunity that cross-Channel rail represents. There is the potential for hundreds more skilled jobs at the Temple Mills depot alone, and I welcome the commitments that Eurostar and Virgin have made on this. I will keep doing all I can to deliver this critical economic agenda.”
Jason Geall, Executive Vice President of SME, at American Express Global Business Travel, says: “The Channel Tunnel is a critical business travel corridor connecting the UK and European economies, so today’s announcement is welcome news. Evidence from other countries shows that increased rail competition drives better service quality and more competitive pricing for travelers. Eurostar currently makes up almost three quarters (74%) of business travel trips between the UK and France and one in five (21%) between the UK and Belgium – underlining the business value of Channel Tunnel link. Opening the Channel Tunnel to additional operators will help make rail an even more attractive option for business travelers on this vital route. This could unlock significant benefits, including increased sustainability gains through shifts from air to rail, productivity improvements as business travelers can work effectively while in transit, and enhanced connectivity that supports both UK and EU economic growth. We look forward to working with all operators serving this route to ensure that business travelers have access to the convenient, reliable, and competitively priced services they need.”
The Office of Rail and Road is the independent economic and safety regulator for Britain’s railways, and monitor of performance and efficiency for England’s strategic road network.
