TRAIN drivers’ leaders slammed a rail industry advisory group yesterday for lavishing praise on Britain’s rip-off privatised rail network.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) is made up from train operating company bosses “to promote greater co-operation between operators.”

It also involves Network Rail which manages infrastructure and many stations.

In a recent report RDG said Britain’s rail services had been transformed thanks to “a winning combination of private-sector innovation and government policy” and praised operators’ financial performance.

But Aslef train drivers’ union general secretary Mick Whelan said the report ignored huge increases in fares and the hundreds of millions in public subsidies being handed out as shareholder dividends.

He said: “The implication that the network is more efficient because of the private sector is laughable.

“The burden has simply shifted to passengers who are paying huge sums to allow private companies to profiteer while stuck on overcrowded trains.”