SO, no surprises when reading the latest report on rail operators

Connex has let us down again.

The troubled French-owned train company has already lost one franchise because of sub-standard performance and, if it's not careful, the lucrative south eastern link could be the next one taken from it.

This time round, the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has fined Connex more than £10m double last year's amount.

This represents a hefty slap on the wrist by the rail regulator but passengers will now be asking when things are going to improve.

Commuters have to suffer daily delays, excuses, dirty carriages, unhelpful staff and to cap it all, trains held up by foliage.

This is not good enough. If Connex wants to win the support of its customers it has got to pull its socks up and sort out its service.

Late trains were apparently responsible for the biggest chunk of the SRA fine, which will come as cold comfort to us, the poor passengers left on the platform on a frosty Monday morning.

Now, we hear Connex's plans to blitz fare dodgers will be put back until April because it cannot find the staff to man its stations or the cash to install ticket machines.

This is totally unacceptable and a sad indictment of the way our rail system seems to be run for profit, not passengers.

No prizes for guessing what Connex's New Year resolution should be!

RICHARD SIMCOX

December 20, 2001 12:39