Passengers said the railways need strong leadership and accountability

The Rail Passengers Council (RPC) called for customers' needs to be put first and said they were "at best jaded and at worst angry" about the railways.

Passengers' views were made public in the RPC's response to government consultation on its structural review of the railways, due out in the summer.

The Strategic Rail Authority rejected the criticism and called for balance.

'Sense of despair'

The RPC report said: "The general view is that privatisation has failed.

"The system does not work at the moment. Many refer back to British Rail.

"Although current rail passengers acknowledge their criticism of BR at the time, many now perceive the 'old' nationalised models as not 'leaking' money to private companies who are now perceived as profiting at the expense of the consumer."

The RPC said passengers felt a "sense of despair" because the railways were now in "such a mess" that finding a solution appeared to be impossible.

The rail industry's targets are all about trains and minutes Stewart Francis, Rail Passengers Council chairman

It said the current system "all too often sidelines passengers" and called on the industry to put their needs first instead of targets.

Stewart Francis, chairman of the RPC, said on Monday: "There has got to be structural change on the railways."

He said rail users were baffled by statistics showing reductions in delays when their journeys seemed no better.

"The rail industry's targets are all about trains and minutes," he said. "They are not about the passenger."

'Strike a balance'

The government's review, to be published by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling, was an opportunity "to get a failed structure right", Mr Francis said.

He said: "Millions of passengers use the trains every day. They see what goes wrong.

"What we are saying to the government this time is 'listen to the experts'."

The RPC report sets out recommendations stressing that quality management, strong leadership and accountability are needed.

The government's review should look at issues such as establishing a clear strategic vision, setting up a "rail improvement unit" to monitor progress and creating a new rail safety body, it adds.

A Strategic Rail Authority spokesman said: "Passengers and freight customers are indeed the heart of the railway.

"The industry must strike a balance between being honest about its strengths and weaknesses and deterring new passengers and new freight operators by overstating the negatives."