The front-page story 'York to Leeds rail line to close for two weeks' (November 23) highlights the dilemma of trying to invest in the railway network while meeting the needs of travellers.

The difficult truth is that if Railtrack is to deliver a network that rail passengers have every right to expect, then there have to be periods when we need engineering access to the tracks to do the job.

The £165 million scheme to improve the track, signalling and station at Leeds marks the biggest rail investment seen in Yorkshire for more than 30 years.

The work this Christmas at Leeds is a critical phase in this two-and-a-half year programme and must be achieved if we are to meet the completion date for the project of December 2001.

While it is true that some train services will be suspended during the Christmas period to allow our engineers access to the tracks, it is important to remember that we, together with train operator Northern Spirit, will still get people to and from their destinations by alternative means.

That is why we have been working closely in partnership with Northern Spirit and West Yorkshire Metro for well over a year to ensure that passengers' needs are met while undertaking this major investment.

However, I understand that in the climate of disrupted and lengthy train journeys after the Hatfield tragedy, rail passengers are frustrated by what they see as yet more disruption.

But only by continuing to deliver our much-needed investment programme of providing a safe and reliable rail network, can we ultimately build public confidence in a much-maligned railway system that has seen decades of neglect.

Sue Nelson,

Head of Corporate Affairs,

Railtrack London North Eastern, York.