East Coast gives lie to privatisation dogma | Letters

Professor Evans’s review of Britain’s railways omits several crucial facts (King for a day: My people will be passengers, not customers, 14 February). The railway is now carrying more people and goods than it has for decades and, as the rail regulator’s latest figures show, since 2010-11 government funding has decreased by 16.4%. East Coast is not alone in making net payments to government, nor is it the highest payer. Latest official figures show that for 2013-14 the largest payment was made by private operator South West Trains, which paid £312m compared with East Coast’s £207m.

In the case of the Brain line’s demise, the axe was forged, sharpened and wielded by Oxford graduate Harold Wilson