Letter: Class-ridden trains from the airport

Sir: The good news is that National Express, as operator of Gatwick Express, has ordered pounds 100m worth of new trains (report, 15 April). The bad news is that the operator proposes to segregate the passengers into three classes for a 25-minute run. The present two-class system already causes enough confusion among visitors unfamiliar with our preoccupation with unnecessary class distinctions. This service, at least, should be one-class.

A train is not a plane, and should not pretend to be; the relaxed, open environment of a well-designed train should come as a welcome contrast to the relatively cramped conditions of an aircraft. The last thing a passenger wants when trying to unwind after a flight is more of the same.

DAVID MARKHAM

London N3