UK transport system 'failing'

Britain's roads are among the most congested

Britain's transport system has fallen far behind those of other leading European countries, the prime minister is reported to have been told.

The criticisms have been made in a draft report by former BBC director general Lord Birt - now Tony Blair's personal strategy advisor, the Times newspaper says.

Lord Birt has been asked by Mr Blair to draw up long-term proposals to tackle the UK's transport problems.

Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa May said Mr Blair's decision to bring in Lord Birt - a man with no transport experience - "over the head" of transport secretary Stephen Byers was a sign of the government's "desperation".

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the move was a "further nail in the coffin" of Mr Byers' career as transport secretary.

The former BBC director general is now Blair's strategic advisor

The draft report is likely to make uncomfortable reading for Mr Byers, who has cut short his holiday in India to return to work on Monday.

It comes as up to 200,000 rail users are to be hit by a two-day strike by South West Trains, and rail fares increased by up to 17%.

About 25% of services on Scotrail are also expected to be affected by an overtime ban, as many people return to work after an extended Christmas break.

Lord Birt is part of the Blue Skies Forward Strategy Unit established after the general election to work with ministers and civil servants across departments, including the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

The unit was set up to look at the long-term delivery and implementation of the government's 10-year plans.

Falling investment

According to the Times, Lord Birt's draft report highlights a yawning gap between standards of transport in Britain and other large European countries.

It apparently suggests the UK has the most congested roads and the least electrified railways, and is alone in having no high speed rail system.

Stephen Byers has been heavily criticised for the state of the railways

Lord Birt is also said to highlight investment rates which were lower than the EU average throughout the past 30 years, but which fell further in Labour's first term.

He sets the government a long-term challenge to ensure travel is predictable, speedy, safe and affordable, says the Times.

The revelations follow reported comments by Labour Party Chairman Charles Clarke that this would be the "make or break" year for Transport Secretary Stephen Byers.

'Slap in the face'

BBC transport correspondent Hugh Pym said Lord Birt's involvement could be interpreted as a "slap in the face" for Mr Byers.

"The travelling public might be entitled to say why does the prime minister need Lord Birt to come in and tell us the state of the railways is not good and well behind Europe," Mr Pym added.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the report was a sign "of the seriousness Downing Street will be taking transport over the next few years."

But, he added, it was not clear how Lord Birt's thoughts fitted with the government's 10-year transport plan.

Lord Birt previously compiled a report for the government on crime which he submitted to the prime minister ahead of last year's general election.

Frances Crook, of the Howard League for Penal Reform, dismissed Lord Birt's contribution on that occasion as "nonsense".

False conclusion?

"Nobody from the penal reform world was aware of what he was doing, and we're still not aware of what he has done," she told the BBC Radio 4's World at One programme.

"We are not aware of where he got his facts, what research was done for him, or where these figures that he came up with came from.

"I think what came out of his research was nonsense, and I say that advisedly because originally Lord Birt came up with a statistic that said that 100,000 people were responsible for half of all violent crime.

"That got translated into 100,000 people were responsible for half of all crime, and this is clearly nonsense."