Railtrack 'U-turn' attacked

The concerns centre on maintenance contracts

Railtrack has been accused by a senior MP of going back on a commitment to maintenance work stability given to the government after the Hatfield crash.

The claim comes after the firm announced one of its current maintenance contractors - Birmingham-based GTRM - has lost out "for commercial reasons" to rival Amey.

The apparent "switch" suggests Railtrack is reneging on a pledge to bring stability to the system, according to Gwyneth Dunwoody, chairman of the Commons transport select committee.

Gwyneth Dunwoody: 'Considerable worries' if nothing has changed

She added that Railtrack had also suggested to her committee that it would freeze any changes in the way the railways were maintained.

"I'm very surprised Railtrack are switching contractors between areas at a time when they need to stabilise work, improve standards and ensure high levels of maintenance across the system," said Mrs Dunwoody, Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich.

"If Railtrack are still switching contractors for 'commercial reasons', there will be considerable worries that nothing has changed.

"If they are still using the old contract and swapping suppliers, it is time there was some very serious thinking at board level in Railtrack about their responsibilities for maintenance."

She predicted ministers would be asked "a lot of difficult questions" when MPs return to the Commons from their Christmas and New Year break next week.

The Hatfield crash prompted track repairs

The Railtrack move, on a West Midlands and Chiltern infrastructure contract, was "a serious blow to GTRM", the company's managing director Paul Kirk said in a letter to staff.

"We are all very disappointed about this decision," he added.

The issue of contractors has been under the spotlight following the Hatfield accident in October, which killed four people and left 35 injured.

It happened at a location where maintenance work had been going on for some months.

Mrs Dunwoody's comments come the day after rail regulator Tom Winsor ordered Railtrack to produce a recovery plan better tailored to the needs of train companies.

Hours earlier Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott had praised Railtrack workers for faster than expected progress in the rail recovery plan.