I WISH to condemn outright the recent irresponsible statement of Alistair Darling, Minister for Railways, to the effect that 'underused' rail lines will or may be closed, downgraded or replaced with buses or light rail.

And I am sure I am not alone in my expression of outrage.

At a time when the environ-mental, health and economic damage arising from emissions of harmful gases is overwhelmingly recognised, what does a statement like this do for the image - already tarnished - of this 'Labour' government.

Rail subsidy now exceeds that provided to the former British Rail yet services today are substantially worse.

Private companies have banked billions in profit since privatisation, much of which has not been re-invested.

The success of bringing rail maintenance back in house with Network Rail and of South Eastern Trains under renewed public control demonstrates that railways are much more efficient when run in the public interest.

Public ownership would ensure that every penny that goes into the railway is spent on railways, decision making would be streamlined, passenger services improved, both staff and travelling public safer and accountability restored.

Neither should Mr Darling and those in all other parties forget that a motion in favour of public ownership was passed at the 2004 Labour Conference or that polls on this issue show overwhelming support for this policy.

Some lines in this area have already been put 'under review', but the real reason why rail routes may be underused are not hard to find - the first being that, in real terms, British rail fares are the most expensive in Europe.

The second is the dire legacy of rail cuts made since Beeching in the Sixties, for example the closure of perfectly viable stations at Garstang, Galgate, Bolton-le-Sands and Hest Bank.

I urge people to back the 'Rail Against Privatisation' campaign (RAP) which is now being organised by the three main rail unions. We can defeat the privateers if we go to work on this with a vengeance.

Steve Metcalfe, Lancaster.