Network Rail and its property arm Platform4 will take long‑term control of the Barking Eurohub freight site from Legal & General under a government‑backed arrangement announced on 25 February 2026. About £15 million is planned to convert the east London site into an international logistics hub to support the return of regular intermodal services through the Channel Tunnel. (gov.uk)
Officials say the scheme would re‑establish frequent container services after years in which cross‑Channel rail freight has largely been confined to single‑customer bulk flows. Industry reporting indicates the terminal will be upgraded to handle approximately 700‑metre European freight trains, with the potential to displace around 140,000 lorry journeys annually if volumes materialise. (gov.uk)
Department for Transport material points to potential lanes connecting British exporters and importers with France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Indicative flows highlighted include outbound consumer goods, white goods and whisky, and inbound fresh produce to London wholesale markets without an additional road leg from ports. (gov.uk)
The move sits within the Railways Bill, which would place a statutory duty on Great British Railways, ministers and the Office of Rail and Road to promote rail freight and require the Secretary of State to set growth targets. DfT’s freight factsheet sets an overall objective to increase rail freight moved by 75% by 2050. The Bill completed Commons Committee Stage on 10 February 2026 and awaits Report Stage scheduling. (gov.uk)
International rail policy is advancing in parallel. The UK has a memorandum with Switzerland and a joint declaration with Germany to address border, security and regulatory barriers to direct services; DfT also says it is working with prospective new competitors such as Virgin alongside incumbents. Taken together, these strands indicate a broader effort to expand use of the Channel Tunnel for both freight and passenger services. (gov.uk)
The Department for Transport notes that only a small proportion of UK–EU freight currently uses the tunnel, with most moved by sea and then by road within Britain. The Barking decision follows Getlink’s warning that proposed business‑rates increases would halt UK rail investments, including a Barking freight restart; placing the terminal under Network Rail and Platform4 is intended to address that stall. (gov.uk)
Locally, Barking and Dagenham Council views the Box Lane site as a driver of employment and supply‑chain activity aligned to Thames Freeport. DfT argues that shifting trunk movements from HGVs to rail would relieve pressure on the Dartford Crossing and the M20/M2 corridors. The department also reports rail freight volumes rose 5% in 2024 to 2025, while intermodal traffic increased 4% in July to September 2025 year on year. (gov.uk)
Delivery tasks remain. Terminal works must be completed, operators must secure freight paths through the tunnel, and border and security protocols for international rail freight need to be satisfied. The UK–Germany declaration frames a taskforce to address those issues, and government material on rail reform commits to fair‑access safeguards and a revised capacity allocation and timetabling process as GBR is established. (gov.uk)
No start date has been given for regular services. With the Barking asset strategy in place and the Railways Bill progressing, policy direction is clearer; market entry will still hinge on operator commitments and the completion of infrastructure and border arrangements. (bills.parliament.uk)