German state-owned rail company Deutsche Bahn is seeking permission to compete with rail company Eurostar by running commuter trains through the Channel Tunnel.
Eurostar currently runs high-speed services between the UK and Belgium but Deutsche Bahn's plans could mean direct high-speed services running from London to Cologne and Frankfurt in Germany, cutting travel times to less than five hours.
The plans could weaken strict safety rules governing the tunnel as German high-speed trains do not meet all the existing requirements, writes UK newspaper The Times.
Deutsche Bahn recently acquired Britain's biggest freight train company EWS, which operates daily services through the Channel Tunnel.
By staff writer
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