I share your concern Keith that giving train operators more freedom over infrestructure, thus bringing back the profit motive could lead to the same mistakes which lead to Potters Bar and others. Only last week, Network Rail were fined in connection with that incident since it accepted liabilities from Railtrack.

On rural lines, I read somewhere that local authorities are to be given responsibility for managing these, despite the fact that they are facing significant cuts in their budgets, resulting in them cutting frontline services to such an extent that they are testing the law.

I also read somewhere that First Great Western is looking at exercising an escape clause in relation to its franchise contract as it fears making a loss in the last 3 years of the franchise.

In short, given recent policies and his comments about ending the so called ‘War on the Motorist’ I think the biggest threat to Cameron’s green pledge is the Secretary of State for Transport.