David Franks, managing director of South Central (Letters, December 18), deserves the support of all rail passengers.

Train companies are struggling to run services along our disjointed Southampton-to-Ashford International coastal rail network and Victorian seaside towns that have developed into commuter branch lines to congested London.

Most South Coast MPs seem silent regarding the Government squandering £5.5 billion on the road lobby, which will do little to relieve gridlocking, while on the coastal railway modernisation for passengers and freight alike is being ignored and promised plans shelved.

The London-to-Portsmouth line through Hove and Brighton stations from Victoria to Haywards Heath has four tracks, then only two.

Express trains are held up by every station stopping train and rival companies sharing the same track - hence chaos and delay.

The coastal railway is split into west and east coastway services at dead-end Brighton station.

The South Coast rail gateway to Europe via Hastings to Ashford International has a non-electrified single track, going through a collapsing tunnel section with 40-year-old, no-toilet carriages giving only an hourly service.

Rail passengers ought to direct their complaints to MPs and local authorities in the South East for shamefully neglecting public transport.

-John Stanaway, Lorna Road, Hove