Europe-bound trains could be on track to return to Kent from Virgin Trains

KentOnline / KMTV

The Office of Rail and Road has granted the operator access to Temple Mills railway storehouse, challenging Eurostar's cross-Channel monopoly.   Meghan Shaw reports.

Transcript

00:00I have got something for you, let's see what happens.

00:04Ta-da!

00:07That's better.

00:09There's a Virgin bag.

00:11And enjoy our new train service in a couple of years.

00:15It's Eurostar dominance no more,

00:18as Virgin trains have received the green light

00:20to operate international rail services using the Channel Tunnel,

00:24which could put direct routes to Europe from Kent back on the map.

00:28The UK's rail regulator, the Office of Rail and Road,

00:32has announced the Branston-owned company

00:34will have access to Temple Mill International Depot,

00:38the same one used by Eurostar.

00:40The ORR have explained this could unlock 400 new jobs

00:44and 700 million in investment,

00:47as well as potential cheaper prices for customers,

00:49encouraged by the new competition.

00:52Branston's plan is to launch these new services in 2030,

00:56putting an end to Eurostar having monopolised the Channel Tunnel since 1994.

01:01But the real question is,

01:03will these new trains stop at international stations in Kent,

01:07where the Eurostar has stopped visiting?

01:09Counsellors remain optimistic.

01:11So the first thing to say is that this is really, really positive, good news.

01:16It's really great to have some for a change that we're getting somewhere.

01:21We've taken a step forward on our journey back towards international rail travel from Ashford,

01:26and all in all, I'm optimistic that this is the right thing to do.

01:30I'm delighted that Virgin has won this bid,

01:33because on the day at this big event that we had at the end of September,

01:37I had a lovely chat with one of the directors from Virgin,

01:40who'd come down especially for the event,

01:41and he assured me that if they were successful, they would stop in Kent.

01:46So the next step, really, is to persuade the government to reopen these stations,

01:51because, of course, as soon as the stations are officially reopened

01:53and brought back up to standard,

01:55we can get those services stopping as soon as Virgin start running their trains.

02:00The Virgin group explained that should the former stations

02:03be able to accommodate international services once again,

02:07the new trains will stop in Kent.

02:09Those in Ashford seem excited by the possibility.

02:13Well, I think it's such a shame that it's there and it's not being used enough.

02:17We spent all this money getting it there for the local people to use,

02:21to, you know, go further afield, and it's just not being used enough.

02:25It's such a shame.

02:26I think it brings a lot of business to the town as well,

02:30and, yeah, I think it's a very good idea.

02:32Why not? I mean, it's there. It needs to be used for something.

02:35It's just a waste of money if it sits there doing nothing.

02:37Eurostar blames Covid-related debt for pulling the plug on its Kent services.

02:42But Virgin Trains also faces financial barriers

02:45to be able to bring these stations back to life.

02:48Without updating infrastructure in Ebsfleet and Ashford stations

02:51to accommodate new international services,

02:55these trains will be stopped at a signal,

02:57once again awaiting green light.

03:00Megan Shaw for KMTV in Ashford.

03:02For KMTV.

03:03For KMTV.

03:04Tim discons at UConnor.

03:05For KMTV.

03:06From KMTV.

03:07For KMTV.

03:11For KMTV.

03:11Thanks.

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