A safety row erupted today after a TV report criticised track conditions south of Hatfield, on the East Coast Main Line.

Railtrack angrily defended its position after the London programme showed video footage of a rail joint with one of four bolts missing. The joint was found between Hitchin and Kings Cross.

The track maintenance company said it "utterly refuted" claims that sections of track were unsafe. The particular joint had been picked up in daily track inspections at the beginning of April and had been repaired at the beginning of this week, which was within the normal timetable for a fault of its nature.

It said the state of the track did not constitute a safety risk and said since Hatfield, the level of inspection and knowledge about maintenance and renewals on the stretch of track was unparalleled.

Robin Gisby, director of Railtrack London North Eastern, said: "Over the past few months, changes have been made and action taken to strengthen and improve the management and maintenance regime of the East Coast Main Line. New Railtrack management is in place, a new contractor and new, better working practices.

"We have carried out a thorough review of the maintenance and renewals needed for this line. We have upped our game with more people employed to carry out the day-to-day maintenance work and more money made available to spend on this vital work.

"All these actions will deliver a more reliable and improved infrastructure which is being managed and addressed in a systematic and planned way."

A spokesman for the TV programme, London Tonight, said they stood by their film.

Updated: 11:07 Friday, April 27, 2001