WHILE Jarvis is to withdraw from rail maintenance work because of commercial concerns and reputation, it is continuing to work on major capital projects.

This highlights why the cost of the West Coast Main Line upgrade has sky rocketed - it's because the profits for contractors are so fat.

Network Rail should instigate an investigation into tendering for capital projects and review the maintenance contractors used, given the reputation of some of them.

Richard Lamb,

Greystoke Road, York.

Updated: 11:11 Wednesday, October 15, 2003