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From December train operator Southeastern will run 140mph trains to and from St Pancras International, along High Speed 1 track before slowing down to travel along existing infrastructure for the final leg to Dover Priory via Folkestone.

Unlike most tunnels on Britain's rail network the Shakespeare consists of two holes through the rock face, each carrying a single track, rather than a single bore with space for multiple tracks. To meet safety requirements passenger trains travelling through the tunnels must have exits at either end of the train - as is the case with Southeastern's Electrostars - but the streamlined design of the Hitachi Class 395 rolling stock used for the High Speed service means there are no exit points at either end of each train.

To allow the new trains to use the tunnels Network Rail is installing new walkways which will link the two Shakespeare tunnels, providing passengers with an emergency escape route. The company will also use the line possession between 25 July and 30 August to repair brickwork and drainage in the nearby Abbotscliffe and Harbour tunnels.

It will take the opportunity to clear vegetation where required and install new fencing to prevent trespass onto the railway and protect the line from rock falls. This maintenance work is expected to improve reliability on the route.

Andrew Munden, Network Rail's route director for Kent, said: "This essential work will reduce the risk of major problems occurring on this stretch of line in the future, ultimately making trains more reliable. In addition, without the works in Shakespeare tunnel, passengers in Dover and Folkestone would not be able to benefit from the proposed high speed services."