Britain's troubled rail network

Tom Winsor has often clashed with industry chiefs.

In a HARDtalk interview on 23 January, Jon Sopel asks Tom Winsor, the UK Rail Regulator why Britain's rail network is in such a terrible state.

Britain's rail network was described by the government this month as "fragmented, complicated and dysfunctional".

But instead of tackling the myriad problems facing the railways, Transport Minister Alistair Darling announced another review of the network in order to assess what should be done to improve it.

You need government support for the railways Tom Winsor

Tom Winsor, who decides how much Network Rail - which owns Britain's tracks, signals and stations can charge train operators for the network - said he was unimpressed:

"I've been in office for four and a half years and this must be the fourth review", said Mr Winsor, who has often clashed with industry chiefs in the past.

"I wonder when the government is going to stop reviewing the railway and allow it to get on with its job".

He added, "You need government support for the railways but if you have undue political intervention ... then you are going to threaten private sector confidence".

Political interference?

Asked by Jon Sopel if his office had suffered from political interference too Mr Winsor replied, "It has happened in the past and on every occasion it has done considerable harm".

He also blamed the former transport secretary, Stephen Byers for mismanagement, saying what he had done to the railways was "severe and damaging".

We've shone a bright light into the darkest, murkiest corners of the economics and operation of our railway industry Tom Winsor

Winsor dismissed Jon Sopel's assertion that the train services elsewhere in Europe were much better run.

He said Britain was simply more honest and open about its true state of affairs:

"We've shone a bright light into the darkest, murkiest corners of the economics and operation of our railway industry - we've exposed truths".

He added that Germany and France would face the same problems in future, when "they shine their lights into their corners".

HARDtalk can be seen on BBC World at 04:30 GMT, 11:30 GMT, 15:30 GMT, 19:30 GMT and 00:30 GMT

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 04:30 and 23:30