ONLY good fortune prevented fatalities and serious injuries when the GNER train was derailed at King's Cross yesterday.

Had the faulty track been a few miles outside the station when the service had picked up speed, we could have been reflecting this morning on a tragedy as great at Hatfield, Ladbroke Grove and Potters Bar.

We must not dismiss this latest incident as minor.

Once again we appear to have an accident caused by faulty maintenance work; an accident that could have been avoided with an appropriate level of care and diligence.

There is a perception that there is no proper control of the maintenance of our railway network. The shoddy piece of engineering work outside King's Cross yesterday morning can only increase that perception.

The response from the general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union for all maintenance work to be brought back into the public sector is to be expected, and has some support among an increasingly exasperated and fearful travelling public.

However, the temptation to look back on the days of British Rail as halcyon must be resisted.

Re-nationalisation of the railways is not on the agenda. Both politically and economically, it is impractical.

Like it or not, we have to face the reality of improving both the infrastructure and services through the private sector.

Most of the problems facing the industry today stem from the flawed process of privatisation. To divide up the industry between so many companies in a small nation like Britain remains a recipe for disaster.

Railtrack failed spectacularly to create some semblance of coherence. Thus far, Network Rail and the Strategic Rail Authority have failed to instill confidence in the future well-being of the industry.

There is a chronic lack of confidence in the railways. The fact that contractors are unable to perform a routine engineering task outside one of the country's busiest stations justifies that lack of confidence.

Too many companies are prepared to profit from the railways, but unwilling to shoulder full responsibility for safety.

Re-nationalisation may not be the answer, but a great deal more public scrutiny and control may be.

After the Potters Bar crash and yesterday's derailment, the Transport Secretary can set about restoring confidence by examining the suitability of Jarvis to be involved in track maintenance and repairs.