A group of MPs from South East England are urging regulators to let more train companies run services through the Channel Tunnel.

On Tuesday, the Labour MPs handed a letter to Fiona Gillon, chief executive of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), arguing that opening up competition could transform the region’s economy. They say additional services could bring in around £534 million a year and attract as many as 500,000 extra visitors.

At the heart of the issue is the Temple Mills International Depot in Leyton, east London—the only site in the UK where Channel Tunnel trains can be serviced. Currently, it’s controlled by Eurostar. The ORR is expected to decide in October whether rival operators should be granted access.

The MPs called the decision a “pivotal moment for international rail competition in the UK.” They’ve asked the regulator to ensure other operators can use Temple Mills, which would open the door for companies like Virgin, Trenitalia, and Uber and Gemini—all of which have expressed interest in running cross-Channel services.

This push also ties into a separate campaign to restore services to Ashford International, which were suspended during the pandemic in 2020 due to low passenger demand.

In a statement, the ORR said it recognised the growing demand for international rail travel, adding:

 “The growing appetite to provide international rail services potentially provides good news for passengers. Operators are setting out more information on their proposals where needed, and we will work quickly and thoroughly to determine the best use of capacity at Temple Mills.”

The MPs backing the move include Sojan Joseph (Ashford), Tony Vaughan (Folkestone and Hythe), Jim Dickson (Dartford), Polly Billington (East Thanet), Lauren Edwards (Rochester and Strood), and Helena Dollimore (Hastings and Rye). Photo by cohesion, Wikimedia commons.