Transport Minister Lord Macdonald, who has made a series of concessions to the road lobby - allowing bigger lorries and building more roads - is now telling rail users to go by road or air instead.

His views were clarified when asked about Virgin's plans to increase fares by 10%.

He said: "It's really for the passenger to look at it and say 'Well, can we get to Manchester more quickly by air or by coach or by car? Is there an alternative service we can take?' They are in the market place."

His remarks are more proof that the Government is failing to come to terms with the transport, pollution and environment crisis facing Britain.

'Lord Macdonald's remarks were completely irresponsible," said Aslef general secretary Mick Rix.

'Government policy has been to encourage people off the roads and promote the use of public integrated transport.'

The Labour Government was elected to do something about the problems which the free market had failed to address and had partly created and which individuals cannot solve on their own.

It claims to have a 10-year transport plan to reduce dependence on the car yet Lord Macdonald now says we should go by car to Manchester if the train fare is too high.

A more sensible response would be to admit, as most people in Britain know, that train fares are too high already and the Government should find ways of bringing them down. The Government claims it wants to tackle social exclusion and cut road traffic.

It should find ways to reward rail travellers for not inflicting enormous costs on society by travelling by car or air. One way would be to introduce a national rail card giving 50% reductions, following the example of capitalist countries like Switzerland.

Unfortunately the Association of Train Operators is already trying to undermine the existing railcards. It is too shortsighted to realise that train operators will lose out just as much as the passengers if the railcards are devalued. Rail should be the core of our public transport system, not there just for a few fat cat businessmen.

This is the kind of issue which the Strategic Rail Authority and Railtrack should understand. They have shown absolutely no interest so far.

Rail users - and even car drivers - know how important it is. The Government should wake up and start behaving responsibly.



Railfuture campaigns director Alix Stredwick said: "Making the railway safer, more affordable and easy to use are key aspects on the improvement that's needed."