The decision by the Railtrack board to reject Gerald Corbett's resignation offer makes a mockery of corporate responsibility in this country. Bosses everywhere, faced with a few fatalities, can now make a token offer of resignation, and then have it rejected by their board. I am a professional engineer, and I was not impressed with Mr Clarke's comments that the recent rail disaster was not a political issue but an ongoing problem with the engineering of the railway system. At the moment the railways have had promises of huge amounts of money from the Government to increase rail safety. But the answer is not to just throw billions at the rail network, but surely to set up a new independent body that has the resources, personnel and the engineering knowledge necessary to take a close look at our railways.
Passengers have a right to feel they are making informed decisions about how to travel.
Railtrack and operating companies must address this quickly. I am a staunch capitalist, but the state of the country's rail tracks has come about because Railtrack has an absolute monopoly. Had there been proper competition, as we have in other areas of commerce and industry, this latest tragedy would not have happened. Railtrack should be nationalised, and maybe the rail companies as well. If so, go away and stop being so hypocritical.