Waterloo commuters' daily worry

Rail Hotline: Contact the Evening Standard Rail Hotline by phone on 020 7938 7676 or by fax on 020 7938 7547. You can also email us at railhotline@standard.co.uk

Rail lines serving Waterloo station have been identified by Evening Standard readers as the ones which cause the most apprehension over safety.

The calls and emails to our Rail Hotline reflect widespread concern over the stability of the services from the South of England and south-west London, especially between Clapham Junction and the mainline station.

Jennifer Sainsbury, 39, a marketing manager, uses that stretch of track every day. She said: "The trains seem to leave the track and come back with a thud just after Earlsfield. I never travel in the first or last coaches and I always sit in the first bank of seats, or stand for ease of escape.

"The trains are packed so tightly in the morning you can't even get a tissue out of your pocket so there would be little hope if an accident happened.

"I now travel with a hammer in my handbag so I can smash a window to get out if something happens."

Brian Croney, of Hampton, Middlesex, said: "By far the worst irregularity occurs midway between Queenstown Road station and the next bridge that passes over the tracks."

Others have complained about the rails around Mortlake. One traveller said: "They make the train jolt, so all standing passengers are thrown off their feet if they don't have some kind of support." Another complained about the section between Queenstown Road and Clapham Junction, the busiest rail junction in Europe.

The track around Waterloo is maintained by Railtrack's contractor Balfour Beatty, the firm which was also responsible for maintaining the track at Hatfield prior to the crash two years ago which killed four people.

The Evening Standard asked Balfour Beatty to explain how it maintains the tracks into and out of Waterloo, used by 150,000 commuters every day. It was an opportunity for Balfour Beatty to reassure passengers on safety.

But the company refused to discuss the matter, referring all calls to Railtrack. Railtrack attributed the ride to the type of tracks: "High-speed rails are continuously welded and smoother. Most of the region is jointed rail, with no smooth join. The region also has the oldest rolling stock with the worst suspension."

In the past week, travellers have contacted our Rail Hotline to voice genuine concerns about their daily journey. One major problem is that they either do not know who to complain to, or feel officials are not taking their complaints seriously.

Systems librarian Peter Higgins, 34, of Camberwell, welcomed our initiative, but said it should not be necessary: "If a passenger is concerned about rail safety then it is already too late. Professional, well-paid, welltrained, full-time, permanent staff should be checking for safety on the entire network every day of the year."

Chris Reilly, who travels on Connex from Tonbridge to Charing Cross, highlighted the loss of confidence among commuters. Despite the comparatively good safety record of rail, compared with other transport, the fear of disaster haunts many: "I feel I'm putting my life at risk every time I step onto a train," he said.

? Passengers with complaints or safety concerns should phone the National Helpline on 08457 114141. This is manned 24 hours a day. The Railtrack website is www.railtrack.co.uk.

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