IN the aftermath of the Hatfield tragedy, Railtrack has rightly spent millions of pounds in replacing or repairing damaged track which may cause another derailment.

Gauge corner cracking, the cause of the Hatfield derailment, was found to be endemic throughout the network.

In the interests of safety nothing was allowed to stand in the way of repairs being carried out to ensure there was no repeat of this tragedy.

The concern expressed by engineering contractor Jarvis that the Potters Bar disaster may have been the result of sabotage brings to light the fatal dangers posed by vandalism.

Any object placed on a track has the potential of de-railing a train, threatening the lives on everyone aboard.

Our own investigation has found over 140 instances of redundant material lying next to the line between Newcastle and York.

We have no doubt that this scene will be repeated along the remainder of the East Coast Main Line and along the length of every railway line in the country.

This abandoned material is a godsend to any would-be saboteur, or any wanton vandal unaware of the potentially tragic consequences of his action.

We must not forget that seven people lost their lives at Potters Bar in a scene of utter devastation caused by two missing sets of nuts.

And yet Railtrack appears content to leave discarded rails and concrete sleepers just a matter of feet from the country's busiest lines.

We welcome Railtrack's rather belated response to this problem and its promise to clear scrap across the network by October 2002. And we also welcome the North-East Rail Passengers Committee promise to raise its concerns on this matter with the Health and Safety Executive.

We suggest that Railtrack spares no effort in clearing the lines ahead of this date, in the interests of the safety of the travelling public.

And we also suggest that it instructs contractors working on repairs and maintenance to ensure every site they work on is cleared.

It must not take another disaster before these particular dangers are fully recognised and eradicated.