Writer in row over railways play

One of the country's leading playwrights has become embroiled in a row with leading rail industry figures over claims that he has let political prejudice affect his work.

Sir David Hare's new play The Permanent Way, currently enjoying a sell-out run at the National Theatre, depicts the way the rail industry was privatised - and its consequences.

Today it emerged that senior rail figures are unhappy with the play, which has been seen by politicians, including Tory leader Michael Howard.

Mr Hare claims his play achieves the highest "level of truthfulness" because it was written only after he had conducted dozens of interviews with railway workers as well as the victims of crashes.

But some industry figures, led by Adrian Lyons, director general of lobby group the Railway Forum, believe the play's focus is misleading and disputes the suggestion that victims of train crashes were mistreated.

Mr Lyons told The Times: "The public are being manipulated and misled by this play."