Getlink, the current operator of the Channel Tunnel, is actively seeking to expand cross-Channel rail services with a substantial €50 million financial incentive, reports the Financial Times. The company believes there's room for significant growth, with the tunnel having the capacity to handle roughly 2.5 times its current daily train usage.
Getlink, previously operating as Groupe Eurotunnel, manages not only the Channel Tunnel but also the LeShuttle passenger and freight trains. Yann Leriche, CEO of Getlink, expressed optimism for increased traffic, stating, "We have a lot of room, including at peak time. I think there is potential to have more high speed trains and freight trains."
According to Leriche, the tunnel currently handles around 400 trains per day but has the potential to manage upwards of 1,000. Several companies have shown interest in providing new passenger services, including Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, Dutch start-up Heuro, and the Spanish-led Evolyn project backed by the Cosmen industrialist family.
To encourage new operators, Getlink will offer a €50 million cash incentive over the next five years, offsetting the traditionally high start-up costs associated with launching a service. Historically, these costs have included the need for specially modified trains that conform to the tunnel's safety regulations.
Leriche indicates that some of the biggest hurdles in the past are now cleared, and costs have decreased thanks to the certification of Alstom's new TGV trains for tunnel service. Getlink is hopeful that in addition to Eurostar's established London-Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam routes, increased service could tap into an additional demand for four million passenger journeys originating in Germany and Switzerland.
