Regulator forces HS1 rail line to cut charges in push to open up route to Eurostar rivals

Regulator Forces HS1 to Lower Charges, Opening Route to Eurostar Rivals

The regulator’s decision aims to encourage competition on the HS1 rail line

Business

HS1, Eurostar, London, UK, Rail, Transport

London: So, the High Speed 1 line, which is the main route for Eurostar trains, has been told by the regulator to cut its charges. This is all part of a plan to let more companies use the line.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is hoping that by slashing fees by £5 million a year until 2030, it will help new operators jump on board. Right now, Eurostar is the only international train service from the UK, but there are two companies, Evolyn from Spain and Heuro from the Netherlands, that want to start competing.

Getlink, which runs the Channel Tunnel, mentioned last year that they could have new high-speed routes from London to places like Cologne and Zurich in about five years.

Any company that wants to run trains on HS1 has to pay for access, and since HS1 is a private company, its charges are regulated because it’s the only game in town. The ORR has said HS1 needs to cut its fees by 3.8%, which includes lowering costs for track and station maintenance.

Besides Eurostar, the HS1 line also serves the Javelin trains operated by Southeastern, which runs services in Kent and East Sussex. There are four stations on the line, but only St Pancras has international departures.

The ORR believes that passenger traffic will grow in the long run, especially with new operators coming in. They’re not expecting freight traffic just yet, but they’re hoping to change that.

Feras Alshaker from the ORR mentioned that their review of HS1’s spending plans has led to lower costs for train operators starting in April 2025. He said HS1’s original plans were solid, but they need to tweak some areas based on the ORR’s feedback, which should benefit everyone using the railway.

Mattias Bjornfors from HS1 Ltd called the decision a positive sign for their plans over the next five years. He’s excited to see how these lower costs will help grow services on HS1.

He also pointed out that HS1 has already been working on cutting costs and improving performance by investing in new tech and collaborating with partners. They’re looking forward to a period of growth, both in the UK and internationally, which should lead to lower charges for operators and a boost for the UK economy.

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