Eurotunnel accused of overcharging

The European Commission has said that passengers travelling through the Channel Tunnel are being overcharged, BBC Business Newsreports. The EC said both passengers and freight services are paying over the odds for using the track through the tunnel, which is operated by Eurotunnel. Eurotunnel is a private company owned by the investors who paid for and now run the Channel Tunnel. Eurotunnel said its charges are "transparent and not excessive." The European Commission said the high prices Eurotunnel charges the train companies get passed onto passengers. The EC also said that freight companies are put off using the Channel Tunnel because of the "excessive" charges, preferring to send their goods by road, which causes traffic congestion and pollution. The Commission claims 43% of the Channel Tunnel's capacity is currently unused. Vice-President of the European Commission Siim Kallas said: "'The Channel Tunnel is not being used to its full capacity because of these excessive charges. "As a result, more freight is being carried on lorries instead of by rail, freight operators and their customers are being over-charged, and passenger are paying over the odds for their tickets. The current regime is also stifling growth in the rail sector," he added. In a statement, Eurotunnel said that it has "always sought the development of cross-Channel traffic and concentrates significant resources on this goal". The European Commission also said that the regulator which oversees the tunnel, the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) is weak and far from independent, saying it "does not have the power to adopt decisions on its own initiative without a complaint" and adding that the IGC is not an independent body, because it is made up of representatives appointed by the UK and French governments.