Letter: Divert spending to the railways

STEPHEN CASTLE ('Another fiasco is about to depart', 3 January) is quite right to conclude that for millions of rail travellers 'the crisis has arrived'. While there appears to be a bottomless pit for road spending, the tell-tale signs of inadequate rail investment levels are all around us: overcrowded, clapped-out trains, crumbling stations and staff shortages.

Even rail 'success stories', such as the revitalisation of the South Wales network, are hampered by insufficient resources for the increased levels of traffic.

With our roads so clogged, we desperately need improved rail links - the last thing we should be doing is reducing them.

Graham Larkbey

London N6