Sir, - Dr S. Barrett (March 16th) disputes the view that rail privatisation in Britain has been a disaster by using selected statistics. Of course the volume of rail travel has increased, so has car ownership, air travel and all sorts of other services, but this has little to do with privatisation.
As a fairly frequent user of rail travel in Britain, I can assure him that the service has seriously deteriorated after privatisation. Timetables are no longer reliable; Sir Richard Branson, who claimed he could make Britain's trains run on time, has failed to live up to that promise. Fares have increased. There are "special offers" which look attractive, but are difficult to get. Most people want to buy their ticket on departure but that is now a very expensive luxury.
Information, particularly on journeys involving more than one operator, is almost non-existent. The absence of a central administration has resulted in the demise of countrywide time tables. Connecting services are not co-ordinated and the purchase of through tickets almost impossible. The companies compete, not co-operate.
Finally, it is an established fact that safety has been compromised in the struggle to increase dividends. - Yours, etc., W. J. Murphy,
Malahide, Co Dublin.