No action on ‘grot spots’

Further to recent letters about the truly grotty state of trackside land (abandoned rails and sleepers, and a varied assortment of litter and dumped mattresses): I reported one such grot spot location to Network Rail nearly two months ago and the promised action from the local maintenance team within 20 days came to nought.

Having read the fictitious commitment to good environmental stewardship on the company website, I have now asked my MP to approach Network Rail’s HQ management to explain the indifference to promised action.

The track workers of the past, who took pride in their ‘line lengths’, would surely be appalled at the total indifference to taking any sort of meaningful action.

Network Rail is pretty good at spending, but quality assurance and value for money appear not to feature on the radar of many - including managers, in my opinion. The trouble is, they are allowed to get away with it by ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ Government ministers who delight in popping along here and there to a photo shoot of a new facility, but rarely have any insight to force effective action by this company.

There should be clear consequences for just not bothering to do what should be done. The succession of lacklustre senior managers in charge with no useful railway experience is largely to blame, and once again the fault of government - both civil servants and ministers. Simon John Pearce, Bolton