Byers faces writ over Railtrack

Stephen Byers is today facing legal action over his refusal to hand over documents on the shutdown of Railtrack.

The company's institutional shareholders are threatening to issue a writ against Mr Byers to force him to release vital paperwork on his decision to put Railtrack into administration.

In a further assault on the Secretary of State's credibility, they are also looking to bring a charge of "misfeasance", or the abuse of power in public office.

A lengthy court action could have serious implications for the Transport Secretary's political future. It would also distract him from the huge challenge of drawing up a new future for the crisis-hit rail industry.

The decision to relinquish Railtrack of responsibility for running the network's infrastructure should have boosted Mr Byers's standing in the Labour party by reversing the previous Tory administration's unpopular and discredited privatisation programme.

Instead Mr Byers's handling of the decision has seriously backfired on the Government.

A Department of Transport spokesman today refused to indicate whether Mr Byers intended to issue the documents.

He said: "The 31 December deadline was a date requested by the shareholders group for information. We are considering the request and hope to be in a position to give them a substantive response shortly."