British business magnate Richard Branson may be making a comeback to the UK rail industry following the closure of Virgin Trains in 2019 after more than 22 years of operation, according to EU Helpers.
It is stated that Phil Whittingham, the former president of Avanti West Coast trains, is qualified to oversee the new business. The initiative is still in its early stages, but it has grand ambitions to link London with Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam.
A Virgin Group representative, however, upheld the company's non-disclosure policy, saying that it makes no comment on rumors or conjecture.
Local media reports claim that Richard Branson and Eurostar are engaged in a rivalry akin to his well-known conflict with British Airways. It occurs at a time when British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are rivals on transatlantic routes.
If the rumors about Branson are accurate, he will be just one of several competitors to threaten Eurostar's hegemony. In the midst of the dizzying HS2 discussion, focus is shifting to HS1. Recently, Evolyn Mobility Limited entered the train travel market with the goal of introducing cross-channel services by 2025. This company, which is registered in the UK, may be mistaken for a supplier of motorized wheelchairs.
Heuro, a young Dutch company, is also entering the race and has promised to provide services related to the continent beginning in 2028. The landscape of cross-channel travel appears to be about to change, as several players eye the sought-after streets.
Even with the temporary closure of the vital France-Italy link due to a landslide, which could last until the summer of 2024, the purposeful opening up of Europe's rail network, aimed at dismantling monopolies, has successfully led to lower prices and improved service quality on popular lines like Paris to Milan.
It is anticipated that Ashford and Ebbsfleet stations at Kent International would continue to have service disruptions until at least 2025. Recent interruptions include summertime routes to Disneyland Paris, the Covid pandemic-related suspension of services to Marseille, and the impending prohibition of trains in Amsterdam owing to ongoing repairs at Centraal Station.
Stratford International, an unfortunately titled east London station that serves trains only as far as Kent, has been mooted as a potential cross-channel service hub.
On the other hand, it lacks the grandeur of famous stations like St Pancras or Gare du Nord, even with the recent £1.1 billion investment in a cultural quarter. Furthermore, it is now ill-prepared to deal with foreign travelers in an efficient manner.