Office of Rail and Road tells Eurostar who will make Temple Mills capacity decision

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has written to Eurostar to say it will make the decision on whether a second operator can use Temple Mills International Depot.

Evolyn and Virgin want to use part of the east London depot for servicing and maintaining trains, should they receive permission to start running international services along HS1 and through the Channel Tunnel (RAIL 1028).

Both submitted Section 17 depot access application requests to ORR last year, although Eurostar suggested neither application was valid and there was no space for a second operator.

In its responses to both applications, Eurostar said ORR was “in no position...to make a direction”, claiming that the regulator’s process for considering depot applications was “not designed or suited” to considering an access application that relates ultimately to a cross-border, high-speed passenger rail service.

The operator wanted the regulator to remit the decision “back to the process of

engagement set out in Eurostar’s Service Facility Description” for Temple Mills.

ORR’s Access Policy Adviser Ian Biggar has now written to Eurostar, saying that Temple Mills is not exempt from Section 17 applications, and that the fact further information is needed before a decision can be made does not prevent the regulator from considering Evolyn’s and Virgin’s requests.

Biggar’s letter also dismisses Eurostar’s suggestions that addressing issues such as rolling stock compatibility, safety certification and maintenance costs

need to be in place before an application is considered.

Eurostar had said that both its potential rivals had submitted applications that were either presumptive or premature and lacking in detail, and therefore invalid.

ORR disagreed, with Biggar writing: “We do not consider that the fact that further information is needed before we can make a decision on the applications prevents us from considering the applications, because the process allows us to gather that information.”

His letter adds: “Eurostar submits that ORR’s existing processes are not suitable for considering access applications relating to proposed international services and that ORR should consult on bespoke guidance for a new process dedicated to high-speed international passenger trains. Eurostar does not, however, set out in detail why the existing processes are unsuitable.”

It then says that ORR’s existing processes “are suitable”.

ORR has appointed an independent expert to assess any potential space at Temple Mills. Their report is due this month, with the regulator set to make a decision later this year on both the Evolyn and Virgin Section 17 requests.