Regulator forces HS1 rail line to cut charges in push to open up route to Eurostar rivals
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ORR hopes £5m cut in fees will attract new operators on line from St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel. The High Speed 1 line that carries Eurostar trains from London to the Channel tunnel has been forced by the regulator to cut the prices it charges rail companies in a push to open up the route to more operators.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said it hoped the £5m annual reductions in what HS1 Ltd may charge those using its rails up to 2030 will support growth, “including the introduction of new operators”. Eurostar runs the only international train services from Great Britain, but two companies – Spanish rail firm Evolyn and the Dutch train startup Heuro – are interested in offering rival services amid criticisms of the cost of Eurostar.
The Channel tunnel operator, Getlink, said a year ago that new direct high-speed train routes from London to Cologne, Frankfurt, Geneva and Zurich could be up and running within five years. Any company operating a service on HS1 must pay charges to access the 67-mile (109km) line. While the owner is a private company, the amount it can charge is regulated because it holds a monopoly.
The ORR said HS1 needed to cut its planned fees by 3.8%, including reducing charges for renewing tracks and stations, including London St Pancras, as well as lowering maintenance costs. As well as the Eurostar, the HS1 line also handles the Javelin operated by Southeastern, the operator of services in Kent and East Sussex that was taken over by the government in 2021.
