Eurotunnel, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, has halted its UK projects, claiming “unsustainable” levels of taxation has made any future investments “non-viable”.
The company said it had been informed its business rates would increase by some 200% from next year.
It hit out at the government, arguing that the higher costs were “clearly contrary” to ambitions of growing the economy and increasing investment.
The Treasury said it would support firms “hit hardest” by tax hikes and would continue talks with affected industries over such concerns.
Other operators do use the tunnel. There’s a weekly train from Seville carrying oranges for Tesco.
Yes, and maybe one of them would like the depot or to run an extra service. That’s what I’m saying. Eurostar hasn’t been allowed to hog the Temple Mills train depot, so why should Eurotunnel hoard the Barking freight depot on the link to the state-owned LTS line? These depots are expensive to build and can only go in limited places, so they should use it, sell it, or lose it.
Would network rail like to buy it?