Bowker confirmed as railway network chief

Transport secretary Stephen Byers today appointed a new chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority "to lead the modernisation of Britain's rail network".

Richard Bowker, 35, the co-chairman of Virgin Rail, is "just the person for this vital role", said Mr Byers.

"He knows the railways well and commands respect in the industry," the minister added.

Mr Bowker, who replaces Sir Alastair Morton, is seen within the industry as having done a good job at Virgin, despite that company's problems.

Sir Alastair announced earlier this year that he would not stay on after his contract expired in March 2002. Last week, after the financial collapse of Railtrack, he said he would be going in December.

His successor will oversee the imminent publication of the SRA's much-delayed and eagerly-awaited strategic plan for the railways - particularly important in the light of the present problems with Railtrack, which was put into administration by Mr Byers earlier this month.

As SRA chairman he will oversee the nation's rail network and the new company to be created from the ashes of Railtrack.

Mr Byers claimed yesterday that the new body to replace Railtrack will do much to address the current problems in the industry.

The company would be set up to attract "the very best people" and its financial structure would be such that lenders would view it "as a very low credit risk and a sound basis for their investment", he said.

He gave details of the new body in a parliamentary written answer and did not rule out the administrators considering private bids to take over Railtrack by saying that "there may be more than one proposal before the administrator".

But in the meantime the Government was developing what he described as "an attractive successor vehicle".

He went on: "We will put a proposal to the administrator for a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) to take over Railtrack plc's railway assets and its role as network operator.

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