New research by the Wealden Line Campaign shows that nearly every line and railway station opening/reopening that has taken place since 1997 has been in a Labour-held Parliamentary constituency.

In a country-wide survey that looked backed to the government's early days we found that of a grand total of 39 projects, 35 were wholly or partly in Labour seats.

"We heard a lot from Labour about improving the railways when they wanted our votes in 1997," said Brian Hart, Campaign Director of the long-running Wealden Line Campaign. "But I don't recall them saying that it applied only to passengers in Labour seats."

"At the very least Labour has some explaining to do as to why the investment is so heavily biased towards its own seats."

At the same time, the survey also revealed that there have been no new stations or railway reopenings in the South East outside London, despite a critical lack of track capacity on key routes like the Brighton Line. Elsewhere, serious road congestion problems and growing concerns about air quality are being ignored.

"The Strategic Rail Authority may claim that millions are being spent on new trains and upgrading power supplies in the South, but in reality this is simply the routine replacement of worn out equipment," said Mr Hart. "The fact is that we have the oldest trains in the entire UK, some of which rolled off the production line when 'Super Mac' was prime minister. Even in the 1980s BR admitted these trains had an overdue appointment with the scrap dealer".

"This survey shows that where the South East is concerned New Labour has achieved nothing," added Mr Hart. "Unfortunately our research just confirms what many rail travellers in this part of the country have felt for a long time."

"Mr Darling was right in saying on Monday that decades of under-investment have led us to today's crisis," said Mr Hart. "But it also appears to confirm our own suspicions that there is a double standard at work for making investment decisions. For example, in East Sussex there has been a strong case and an active campaign to revive the Uckfield line as a much-needed alternative to the Brighton Line for over 30 years."

"Only seven miles of missing track between Lewes and Uckfield prevent it opening up a new route. Were this situated in a Labour marginal rather than split between the constituencies of Norman Baker (LD) and Charles Hendry (Con), I'm certain we'd have seen transport minister John Spellar cutting ribbons by now".

"We know that the Brighton line is literally at full stretch, with constant hold-ups. Yet ministers seem to have a blind spot when it comes to unlocking the capacity of the adjacent Uckfield line as an alternative route. Over the years we have continually seen the project leapfrogged by other schemes."

"Monday's Gatwick Express derailment threw all Sussex Coast services into chaos and we see this every time there is even the slightest hitch on the Brighton Line"

Disgraced train operator Connex which lost its South Central franchise to Govia in 2001, had pledged to restore the Uckfield line as an additional South Coast-London route.

"They appreciated the problems of trying to provide a 21st century train service on a clapped-out system built when Queen Victoria came to the throne" said Mr Hart. "Only last year Connex chief Olivier Brousse told the chairman of the Rail Passengers Committee for Southern England that re-vitalising the Uckfield line was 'the only way' of ever relieving the Brighton line".

"The situation for commuters in the south, where 70% of all rail journeys are generated, will continue to worsen until the government directs funding where it is most needed" warned Mr Hart.

Rail projects post 1997

Notes for editors:

1) Only those schemes where a regular, permanent daily service, fully accessible to ordinary rail passengers is planned or has been introduced have been counted.

For this reason we have excluded projects such as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, most of whose trains will not serve domestic passengers. We have also excluded light rail projects, as these do not form part of the national rail network.

For the purposes of this research, we have taken a "regular" train service to be an all year running from Mondays to Saturdays at least.

2) Details based on information supplied by the Rail Development Society

Key: $ - details not known at this time