ONE year on from the Hatfield rail crash and Britain's railways remain in a parlous condition.

In the months following the crash, in which four people were killed, emergency safety work to upgrade track led to such severe problems that all too often passengers began their journey with no idea of when they would arrive.

The whole rail network was in complete chaos. Stories of hellish journeys filled the news and, combined with the highly-combustible petrol crisis, gave the impression of a country that was grinding to a halt.

Twelve months later, the day-to-day situation is brighter - but underlying problems remain on the railways.

In a controversial decision, the Government called in the administrators on Railtrack, the private company which owned and maintained track and stations. Railtrack had asked for an extra £1.7 billion from the Government, which was refused - effectively pushing the company into insolvency.

Railtrack is being run by the accountancy firm Ernst & Young while the Government decides on a successor.

GNER has today confirmed that it would be interested in taking charge of the maintenance of the track in this region, if that is what the Government wanted.

After the unhappy experience of Railtrack, the Government has to think long and hard about what should happen next. Common sense surely dictates that any replacement for Railtrack should not be run for profit and should instead have safety as its main priority.

A powerful committee of MPs was today due to begin an investigation into the way that rail franchises were awarded. The Government's decision to delay a decision on the 20-year franchise for the East Coast Main Line left this region's rail network in further disarray.

Yorkshire's rail travellers need stronger assurances from the Government that the franchise farrago will be sorted out as soon as possible.

In the meantime, we should at least recognise that local staff of GNER and Railtrack have worked hard through the most trying of times. It can't have been easy and they deserve recognition.

Nicker is nicked

BACK in April, Bob Ogier took up his new job as Ryedale's only traffic warden. He started in unblushing manner, giving a parking ticket to the Press reporter who had gone to interview him.

And now Mr Ogier - how shall we put this? - has been nabbed and nicked.

The dispenser of tickets has got one himself, slapped on his windscreen while he went to the dentist's in Scarborough. Some may feel there is a certain justice in this turnaround, but we couldn't possibly comment.

Updated: 10:34 Wednesday, October 17, 2001