Key points
- LeShuttle Freight carried 102,014 trucks in September 2026, up 8% on September 2025.
- Growth has accelerated since the summer: +4% in July, +5% in August and +8% in September.
- UK diesel reached 199.52p per litre in early October, the highest since records began.
- Last year’s weak fourth quarter means the coming months are an easy comparison.
The figures come from Getlink, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, which published its September traffic data on 8 October. Passenger vehicle traffic grew by 2% to 197,717.
From decline to growth
Truck traffic was weak at the start of the year. In the first half of 2026, LeShuttle Freight carried 587,710 trucks, 1% less than a year earlier. Getlink blamed a “subdued economic environment in Great Britain”.
Since then, the trend has turned:
- July: 104,032 trucks (+4%),
- August: 90,033 trucks (+5%),
- September: 102,014 trucks (+8%).
Between January and September, LeShuttle Freight carried 883,789 trucks, about 1% more than in the same period of 2025. Passenger vehicle traffic over the same period fell by 2%.
Why expensive diesel may help the tunnel
Diesel prices are at record levels. According to UK government data, the average pump price of diesel reached 199.52p per litre in the week of 5 October, higher than at the peak of the 2022 energy crisis. At the start of the year, it was 144.19p, so prices have risen by 38%.
Expensive diesel hurts every haulier on the road. But on the Channel itself, it can work in the tunnel’s favour. LeShuttle trains run on electricity, while ferries burn marine fuel. In its half-year results, Getlink said ferry operators had passed higher oil prices on to fares from April, and that the narrowing price gap with ferries was supporting its market share. In the first half, LeShuttle’s share of the cross-Channel truck market was 35.8%, slightly up on a year earlier, and it was growing towards the end of the period.
Getlink has not given reasons for the September increase, but the timing fits that picture.
What to expect in the peak season
The fourth quarter is traditionally the busiest time for cross-Channel freight, ahead of Christmas. This year, it starts from a low base. In Q4 2025, LeShuttle Freight carried 290,384 trucks, 6% less than a year earlier, and its market share fell to 35.5%.
If the current growth continues, hauliers should expect busier shuttles in November and December than last year. Getlink also plans new pricing tools by the end of the year, with unbundled offers from Q4 2026, which could change how capacity is booked.
At the border, truck drivers have been registered in the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) since October 2025. Rollout for passengers is still ongoing, and as we reported, the EU has given nine countries more time to implement EES checks.
Customs changes on the horizon
More changes are coming in 2027, when UK customs checks currently done at the Sevington inland border facility are due to move closer to the ports, including Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone. Hauliers should follow the details closely, as they could affect transit times on both routes.
What it means for hauliers
- Compare total costs, not just tickets. With diesel this expensive, fuel surcharges on ferries and the time spent on each crossing matter more.
- Book early for the peak. Growing volumes and seasonal demand can make popular departures harder to get.
- Watch the data. Getlink publishes its third-quarter results on 22 October and its October traffic on 6 November.
In January, an electric truck made the first zero-emission freight crossing through the tunnel. With diesel near £2 a litre, more operators may now look at how much fuel they burn on the way to the Channel, and how they cross it.
