EuroTunnel, operator of the Channel Tunnel, has defended itself against accusations that rules governing the tunnel's use have stifled the growth of rail freight in the UK and across mainland Europe.
Last week it emerged that just 1.18 million tonnes of freight moved through the tunnel by rail in 2009, a fall of 5% compared with 2008.
DB Schenker Rail had blamed high tolls and complex rules on the tunnel's use for a lack of tonnage growth on rail freight, but a spokesman for EuroTunnel says it is "the responsibility of rail freight operators going through the tunnel" to increase their share of the freight market.
Under current rules covering the usage of the tunnel, EuroTunnel has to split crossings 50:50 between shuttle services and rail crossings. These crossings are then split by 50% again between EuroStar services and rail freight for rail crossings, and between road freight and road users for shuttle services.
The spokesman added that Eurotunnel's purchase of rail freight operator Veolia Cargo in September last year was part of its "commitment to see the rail freight business grow in order to see the tunnel being used fully".
In comparison, truck volumes fell sharply between 2008 and 2009 from 1.25 million trucks to 769,261 - a drop of 39%. It says the fall was doubly affected by the repercussions of the fire in September 2008 and by the overall reduction in economic activity.
However, traffic increased in the fourth quarter by 12%, compared with the same period in 2008, from 200,805 to 225,777.
