Letter: Too dirty to change a nappy

Sir: Last week I put my daughter and her two children aged two and four months on a train from Liskeard to Reading. She had reserved seats but the way to the toilet was blocked by baggage and people. Nevertheless it was so filthy as to be unusable and there was no facility as there is in aircraft for changing a baby. Apologising profusely she had to change the baby in front of other passengers while they chewed their sandwiches. The train was one hour late.

We learnt this week that our train fares are three times the world average and, for cleanliness and punctuality, compare very unfavourably with the SNCF and the Swiss trains.

If politicians, ministers and businessmen had to travel second class with small children rather than by themselves in half-empty first class compartments, I think changes would soon be made.

Canon PAUL GODDARD

Polruan-by-Fowey, Cornwall