Workloads faced by staff at the centre "reached record levels"

There were also problems with technology at the �623m centre at Swanwick in Hampshire as well as a lack of trust between managers and staff and low morale.

Details of the report from the safety review committee of the National Air Traffic Services (Nats) were published by Computer Weekly.

By law, controllers must report an "overload" if they regard their workload during a shift as excessive to the point where the safety of aircraft under their control was, or could have been, compromised.

According to Computer Weekly, there were a record 64 overloads at Swanwick in 2002, compared with 28 in 2001 at the old centre at West Drayton in west London.

'Stuff of nightmares'

The magazine said that one controller had told the safety review committee he was "shaking all the way home" after an overload.

Another said overloads were the "stuff nightmares are made of".

Swanwick opened five years late in January 2002 after computer software problems.

Since then there have been some continuing computer problems, while controllers have complained about difficulty in reading screens.

Computer Weekly said that Nats was addressing all the technological and other issues highlighted in the report.

'Lack of trust'

But according to the report "there was a definite gulf in perception between controllers and managers about the extent to which overloads are taken seriously. This requires attention".

To the frustration of controllers "too many overload investigation reports concluded with the phrase 'Actions: Nil'".

Between managers and staff there was an "us and them" mentality, and "lack of trust, confidence and respect" which, the report said, "must be tackled".

A spokesman for Nats said: "We had always anticipated that there would be an increase in the number of overloads reported as the system bedded in and operational staff adjusted to their new working environment.

"The safety review committee found no underlining fault with operating procedures at Swanwick.

"It recommended that improvements could be made in the investigation and feedback processes for overload incidents.

"The review took place against a background of continued improvement in Nats' safety performance."