MPs want action to improve rail network

1:03pm Tuesday 27th January 2004

TWO of the borough's MPs say commuters will suffer because of Transport Secretary Alistair Darling's dithering.

Reacting to Mr Darling's announcement of a review of the rail sector, Orpington MP John Horam says it is clear decisions are needed, not more consultation.

He has been joined in his criticism by Beckenham MP Jacqui Lait, who says the plans are a disaster.

Mr Horam says the latest review, the fifth in as many years, would delay the appointment of a company to take over from transitional operator South Eastern Trains (SET).

He said: "I have received more complaints since SET took over from Connex last November than I did before.

"SET says it is short of staff to run the railway properly and I am told this is because of the uncertainty surrounding the franchise."

Mr Horam is calling for longer franchises to encourage investment and closer co-operation between track and train operators to improve punctuality.

He said: "Mr Darling must be made to realise his dithering has led to our commuters suffering.

"It is still the case over half the delays are caused by Network Rail, the track operator Stephen Byers (former Transport Secretary) set up three years ago, before he resigned.

"Commuters will never get a decently-run railway until this company gets its act together and co-operates better with the train operator."

Mrs Lait is warning the review could result in franchise terms being different and so interested companies would then have to rethink their ideas and proposals completely.

She said: "This sounds ominously bad for commuters in the south east and for rail passengers generally.

"Not only does this mean more interfering bureaucrats but interfering politicians as well, which will be a disaster."

A Department of Transport spokesman says the proposals will be published by the summer.

He said: "If we had gone ahead and made a decision without talking to the people on the front line, who work on the railways every day, we would have been equally slated."

The spokesman said £1 billion had been invested in improving the railway's power supply south of the River Thames.

He added this would allow new rolling stock to be used.