Five Year Plans were standard in the old Soviet Russia, not that they seemed to do much for Soviet citizens nor ultimately the communist regime.

Notwithstanding that New Labour has a ten-year multi-billion pound transport plan, the new franchise arrangements for the East Coast Main Line were put on hold, the Strategic Rail Authority asked to look at the franchise arrangements and as a holding measure GNER was granted a two-year extension to its franchise.

Does this mean therefore that the transport plan has been cancelled or just delayed - both routine occurrences for rail passengers?

It could be said that the ten-year plan has broken down before leaving the station. Rail passengers cannot now expect any new trains or improvements to existing services in the near future.

If one considers Railtrack's performance in upgrading Leeds station which has gone spectacularly over budget and time, then New Labour will need a 20-year plan for the railways. Additionally the Chancellor will need further windfalls a la mobile phone licences to fund it.

Richard Lamb,

Greystoke Road,

Rawcliffe, York.

Updated: 10:41 Tuesday, September 04, 2001