I FIND Councillor Clee's letter (You Say, February 8), praising Tory privatisations and Labour's continuation of the practice, utterly breathtaking. I am not too sure that we both live on the same planet, let alone in the same county.

Certainly, he cannot be a frequent rail traveller, as he would know that most of those who use the "service" blame the problems on privatisation, especially of Railtrack.

As with every other privatised monopoly, prices have risen way beyond inflation in order to guarantee a good return to those who bought most of the "family silver" (Harold Macmillan's expression) at often bargain basement prices.

Railtrack is run by a bunch of accountants and have "let go" huge numbers of true railwaymen, some of whom have joined the contractors to whom much of the construction and maintenance work has been handed over. How these people can be allowed to have responsibility for health and safety beggars belief.

Railtrack must be demerged, with the responsibility for track maintenance, health and safety and the running of the railways passed to a non-profit organisation managed by experienced railwaymen.

The property side, which is what the asset strippers were always after anyway, would probably have to be left to the accountants as Government will have greater financial priorities than renationalisation.

Railway privatisation has still meant billions of pounds of our money thrown at companies which provide arguably the worst service in Europe - with filthy, unpunctual trains. I commend your readers to reject the Tory authors of this mess with the "vigour and enthusiasm" Councillor Clee seeks.

ROBERT BROWNE,

Liberal Democrat PPC Mid-Worcestershire.