Rail bosses hit out at whistleblower film

A furious row broke out today between rail bosses and the BBC after an undercover report claimed Britain's track system was unsafe.

An episode of BBC1's Whistleblower last night claimed passenger lives were at risk due to shoddy maintenance and unsafe working practices. But Network Rail, which is responsible for 21,000 miles of track throughout Britain, immediately hit back, accusing the corporation of scaremongering and irresponsible journalism.

Danny Penman and two other BBC reporters spent months working undercover as track labourers-during which time they claimed to have witnessed numerous examples of staff incompetence. The programme highlighted cases of shoddy work and track defects that were overlooked by repair gangs. The programme also claimed:

It is understood Network Rail's chairman Ian McAllister approached the BBC's chairman Michael Grade to complain about the programme. Unusually the BBC refused to provide journalists with advance copies of the programme or even a transcript before it was broadcast last night.

In Whistleblower, Penman comes across a stretch of track on the Portsmouth line in Surrey with several missing or loose clips, essential for keeping the rail in place. He reports this to Network Rail, the Health and Safety Executive and the rail industry's confidential safety reporting service.

But he claims "virtually nothing" was done, saying: "Network Rail sent some engineers to repair the track - but they carried out such a shoddy repair that it is little better than before."

Penman also visits the Forth Bridge accompanied by a now retired track inspector. He said: "The track on the bridge is held in place by small wooden wedges and rusting steel clamps. Amazingly, some of the wooden wedges can be knocked out with a finger, and the steel clamps are loose and heavily corroded."

But Network Rail, which employs 30,000 people and is currently spending £14 million a day to "maintain, improve and upgrade" the railway infrastructure, has angrily dismissed the programme's allegations.

In a letter to the BBC it said safety had not been compromised and that it had complete trust in its track inspection regime. Before the programme was screened a spokesperson for Network Rail said: "We are treating this matter seriously, although we have been hindered as the BBC has not allowed us to view the programme. Our initial investigations into these allegations, however, have so far shown that train and passenger safety has not been compromised."

Rail industry lobbyist Adrian Lyons, of Railway Forum, claims that the track network was unsafe were "simply not true". He said: "If the track was as badly maintained as Whistleblower claimed there would be derailments all the time."

The BBC said: "Under the BBC Producer Guidelines, it's necessary for anyone criticised in a programme to be given an opportunity to hear those criticisms and respond. Network Rail and the other rail contractors mentioned in the programme were given that opportunity."