asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 10 July (WA 100), whether the high-speed trains of the German and French railways could access the High Speed 1 link between London and the Channel Tunnel; and whether any regulatory obstacles to such operation are solely the responsibility of Eurotunnel and the French and British safety authorities. [HL5030]
My previous Answer confirmed that High Speed 1 is available to any train operator that satisfies the requirements of the HS1 network statement. Network Rail (CTRL) Limited, as the infrastructure manager, under the ROGS regulations, manages the network statement on behalf of HS1. The network statement informs train operators of the rolling stock that can be used and sets out the safety requirements and the regulations to be complied with.
Network Rail (CTRL) Limited has the responsibility on High Speed 1 to manage applications from train operators that wish to access the railway. The infrastructure managers of Eurotunnel and the French rail network have the same responsibilities on their respective networks.