Branson’s Bold Move: Virgin Trains Poised to End Eurostar’s 30-Year Channel Tunnel Monopoly
Breaking the Monopoly For the first time since 1994, a train company other than Eurostar will be allowed to run passenger services through the Channel Tunnel. On 30 October 2025 the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) announced it had approved Virgin Trains Europe’s depot access application orr.gov.uk. Temple Mills International depot (Leyton, London) – the only UK facility capable of servicing large high-speed trains – had been used exclusively by Eurostar until now. The ORR press release explains that this move “unlocks plans for around £700 mn of investment in new services and the creation of 400 new jobs” orr.gov.uk.