I FIND myself in the rare situation of broadly agreeing with MP Peter Luff in his comments about rail being far safer than road, as reported in Paul Stammers' County Commentary of Monday, December 4.

However, I don't see how he can compare the record of the few years of privatisation with that of the decades of the nationalised railways.

Indeed, the most serious crash of recent years at Clapham was due to pressure to keep costs down, resulting in overworked technicians making a fatal error when dealing with equipment that was overdue for replacement - something with which the Hatfield accident shows parallels.

Mr Stammers himself rightly points out that we are still having to fork out large sums to the private companies now running the network, but he then goes on to talk about the "clapped-out experience that passed for rail travel in the Thatcher years".

Perhaps he has forgotten, or chooses to ignore, facts that weaken his case - as he accuses Mr Luff of doing. Does he not remember that during these years Worcester travellers saw a steep change in the quality of trains with the introduction of 125s and Springers and an upgrade in the service to Birmingham resulting in a 300 per cent increase in ticket receipts in six months?

This was despite the miserable attitude to investment by the Government - and InterCity services made a profit too!

A REECE,

Ely Close, Worcester.