Independent Swiss engineers have backed plans to run German ICE trains into London via the Channel Tunnel.

The Swiss experts have prepared a report for the Intergovernmental Commission which is responsible for safety in the 31-mile long tunnel.

Deutsche Bahn presented the findings to the commission on Tuesday 12 July 2011 and is hoping the commission will approve its plan this summer, clearing the way for a service to start running to London in 2013.

The Swiss have the world's longest railway tunnel, the 35-mile long Gotthard tunnel.

Other safety experts say a pair of 200-metre long ICE trains can be evacuated as efficiently as the existing 400-metre long Eurostar trains.

DB says that, even if the commission approves the ICE trains this summer, further trial runs will have to take place.

Since 2007, five million passengers have been carried on high speed train services between France and Germany which are operated by both French TGV trains and German ICE trains.

The High Court in London has this week rejected a complaint from French train maker Alstom about a Eurostar order for a £527 million order for new trains from Siemens. The Guardian has reported that Alstom will continue to pursue a multimillion pound compensation claim.

Information from DB

A Reuters video report on Japan's newest bullet train can be seen here

In America, though, plans for a high speed rail line in Florida were ditched after Governor Rick Scott paid heed to a flawed report. Background: Florida's oil slick