By Jon Yuill BBC News website's Rail Commuters' Champion

On the front of the report chairman Edward Leigh says many stations lack basic services and feel threatening.

Well he's not wrong there. Does it take a committee to show us commuters what we have known for years, namely that our stations are toilets.

Except in my local station's case, where the loos have been closed for months whilst undergoing something called "urgent repairs". So far, the only sign of work involves two plastic cubicles - the sort you get at music festivals - being deposited outside the station right by the roadside. A decidedly inconvenient convenience.

Dumps

Yes, it seems in the clamour to get our trains running better, we've taken our eye off the other bit of the journey - the station. Which is odd really, considering we spend an inordinate amount of time standing in them.

In my book, there are three kinds of station. There's the station you get your train from, the one at which you arrive and then there's the myriad of stations you hurtle through.

These days, nearly every station in Britain has something in common. That is, they are understaffed, underlit, and under several tonnes of rubbish.

WHO IS JON YUILL? Elected: Jon Yuill was voted BBC News website's rail commuters' champion by users of the site Voice: His role is to speak up for the commuter Commute: Married with three children, Jon commutes by train between Witham (Essex) and London

Since our friends from the IRA started depositing their little surprise packages in litterbins, the bins were removed from stations. A new thinking was adopted - which is still favoured by people in focus groups - that is, if no bins are provided then people will take their rubbish home.

Yeah, right. Because there's always the option of throwing it onto the track or leaving it on the trains, assuming they arrive. Subsequently, the approach stretches of track to most stations are little short of municipal dumps, knee deep in drinks cartons, crisp packets and the occasional piece of train furniture, such as fire extinguishers or headrests.

Now there's so much litter around some stretches of track it's a wonder the workers can see the rails. And we mustn't forget our old friend the graffiti 'artist' who does such an excellent job in making the whole network look unloved and unkempt.

I'll say nothing more about the stations we wiz through on our service other than they all look the same. Abandoned. Just why do they all have such abysmal lighting? Is it to save electricity for goodness sake? Coupled with the lack of staff, all they need is a bit of tumbleweed rolling about the deserted platforms to give that real air of welcome and re-assurance.

Emporiums

But perhaps the irony of all is what awaits commuters at the end of the road. In the distant days before privatisation, many of our stations used to be fantastic nuggets of living history, all turrets and minnets, soaring gothic masterpieces or twee and beautiful throwbacks to the time of smoke and Will Hay.

But when the dirty deed was done (by Mr Leigh's own party), it was the green signal for all out exploitation of both the buildings and the poor commuters within.

Perhaps realising that many thousands of hours are spent waiting for lost or delayed trains, our terminus stations moved from the smokey pub and gents hairdressers (something for the weekend, sir?) into the glass and steel Sock Shop and Knickerbox emporiums we have today.

No opportunity is lost to fleece the weary commuter from their hard earned cash. And frankly, considering the service from the train operating companies themselves, it's easy to see why a change in underwear may be appropriate, such is the time spent waiting for their lousy trains.

The youth club otherwise known as Jon's local station

Generally speaking, commuters want pretty much the same from their stations as they do their trains: safe, well lit, secure. The chance to buy a decent drink, or use a clean and working loo.

Sadly, as Mr. Leigh's report shows, whilst some progress has been made, many of our stations are suffering from the same underinvestment that has dogged the trains that run through them.

According to the report: "Since privatisation, the complexity and inflexibility of the multitude of organisations making up the railway industry have discouraged private sector investment in stations. No one can agree on who is responsible for what and this has put up barriers to would-be investors in station improvement projects.

"The Department for Transport must now work in concert with the railway industry and other partners to remove these barriers and simplify procedures so that the regeneration of stations can proceed in earnest. If they don't, then many passengers will face many more years of using sub-standard railway stations which are unfit for the 21st Century."

To be honest Mr Leigh, it's nothing more than we are already used to.

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