Morton in line to lead rail body

SIR ALASTAIR MORTON, the former co-chairman of Eurotunnel (pictured), emerged yesterday as a front-runner to head the Strategic Rail Authority, the body that will implement the Government's vision of a top-class railway system within 10 years.

Sir Alastair, 60, has been tipped as SRA chairman because of his role in advising John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, on the rescue of the Channel Tunnel link rail project. The two-and-half-day a week job carries a salary of pounds 120,000. The Government did not respond to the report, and Sir Alastair was unavailable for comment.