The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has reached out to both Eurostar and a number of new applicants looking to run cross-channel rail services to provide plans for the assignment of access to Temple Mills International Depot (TMI).
The regulator recently commissioned an independent assessment of capacity at TMI following access applications from several potential operators.
ORR gave stakeholders an opportunity to state cases that could either change or support the report’s findings, which found that some capacity still remains available at TMI without the need for any changes to current practices, with additional capacity possible through further investment.
Following an assessment of the evidence provided, the ORR has concluded that the independent assessment is an accurate depiction of TMI’s current available capacity, with the regulator stating that there is room for ‘at most one new operator, or for Eurostar to grow’.
Potential applicants must now provide details of their plans in order to be considered for the allocation of the potential capacity, with ORR intending to work quickly to assess plans and reach a conclusion on TMI access by 2026.
ORR will consider directing access in line with its existing legal duties, as well as make a decision using its established approach to deciding competing demands for rail capacity including availability, the impact of proposed services on operation performance, financial and operational readiness and viability, economic and societal benefits associated with the applications and the 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.
