THESE must be very frustrating times for Tony Blair.

While the railways are in chaos, he has a Transport Secretary who has developed a disturbing ability to attract the wrong kind of headlines in a way that train tracks tend to attract the wrong kind of leaves.

Yet again, Stephen Byers, the MP for North Tyneside, is fighting for his political life as the ramifications of the in-fighting within his department continue to be an annoying distraction for the Government.

Surely, Mr Blair must by now have decided that Mr Byers' has to go in a forthcoming reshuffle and it is a fair bet that the name of Peter Mandelson has figured prominently in his thoughts about a successor.

Despite his own ability to attract bad publicity, the Hartlepool MP's organisational ability would be ideal for the immense challenge presented by the country's chronic public transport problems.

Sadly for Mr Blair, it appears not to be an option. He knows that his own credibility would be shot if he brought back a twice-sacked minister - no matter how great the temptation must be.

But decisive action is needed because there is now such a head of steam behind the calls for Mr Byers to quit - fuelled by the "burying" bad news scandal - that a change is the only way forward.

The ongoing bickering yesterday had echoes of an argument between naughty children - "it wasn't me sir, it was him" - but at least Mr Byers had the decency to find time amid the squabbling to apologise for Britain's problems on the railways.

He acknowledged that after five years, ministers could have started to implement improvements sooner.

It is a refreshing admission, because it is no longer acceptable for the Government to go on blaming previous Tory Governments for the continuing problems facing public services.

"Time To Deliver" stated The Northern Echo's headline after the General Election last year - and it certainly is.

Unfortunately for Mr Byers, the improvement programme on Britain's railways will almost certainly have to be delivered by a different Transport Secretary.