Letter: London's no-go railways need cash

Catherine Pepinster paints an unduly rosy picture of the prospects for London's railways ("London gets a facelift at last", 29 December). The Barking-Gospel Oak line continues to splutter on with the oldest, most unreliable trains on the entire network. The South London Line is unable to stop at Brixton - the biggest town centre on its route - and there is no immediate source of funding for the high-level platforms to enable it to do so. All over the capital, stations are virtual no- go areas due to vandalism and lack of surveillance, particularly after dark, and the last train on many lines leaves London between 11.00pm and 11.30pm - no use for those returning from a night out in town. As for the Tube, the whole network is falling apart one way or another. In any other European capital these things would be unthinkable. It is high time London's transport infrastructure had the government investment it needs to bring it up to an acceptable standard.

Graham Larkbey

London N6