SIR - I would like to write further to a very good point raised by John Shearon's letter about train fares (September 13).

My observation would be that though fares are becoming increasingly expensive, often costing more than the cost of car travel for the same journey, perhaps the price of the fares would be easier to swallow if trains actually turned up when the timetable states.

Unfortunately on a Sunday, the trains are often late and sometimes do not even turn up at all, citing maintenance or faults as valid reasons for not really caring and rarely providing an alternative.

The rail companies seem to have no concept of the havoc they are wreaking as they ruin the end of people's holidays, or family Sunday lunches going cold.

How is the population ever to ditch their environmentally polluting vehicles and have faith instead in the rail service when we run the risk every Sunday of being stranded at the wrong station, hungry and tired with no option but to wait for the next train in the vain hope of getting there sometime?

SARAH GANDERTON, Worcester.