TRANSPORT unions are once again accused by the government of “irresponsible scaremongering” for daring to tell the truth about the state of Britain’s privately operated railways.

“Safety is the number one priority for all operations on the railway,” states an anonymous Department for Transport spokesman, as though simply saying it makes it so.

Authorising privateers to reduce numbers of safety-critical staff on trains and in stations does not encourage confidence in the spokesman’s cosy words.