The Institute of Directors has today published a new transport report, "Evolution not revolution - the future of the railways."

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

Graeme Leach, chief economist at the IoD, told ePolitix.com: "The fundamental problem with the railway system is not a few years of privatisation but many decades of nationalisation and underfunding.

"The IoD is calling for a genuinely integrated transport policy which recognises that part of the solution to the rail crisis is road pricing. Without road pricing, we are deeply sceptical that the government's targets for rail passenger growth can be met.

"Private investment needs greater assurance of future demand, but future passenger growth is constrained by the current capacity of the network. Revenues from road pricing, which are then used for road and rail investment, provides a way out."

Forum Response: Virgin Trains

A spokesman for Virgin Trains told ePolitix.com: "Virgin Trains is currently delivering the largest investment package in the railways. We have been able to do this because we are a private company. If we were under control of the Treasury, this investment would not have been possible."