Independence 'could mean nationalised rail' - The Times (subscription)

Rail services in Scotland could be renationalised if the country votes for independence in 2014, the Transport Minister at Holyrood announced yesterday.

Keith Brown attacked the Westminster Government over its handling of the West Coast Main Line as he called for rail powers to be devolved to Holyrood now so that it could abandon the present "fragmented and inefficient model".

Mr Brown was updating the Scottish Parliament on the effects of the cancellation of the West Coast franchise, which was won by the Aberdeen-based FirstGroup. Patrick McLoughlin, the UK Transport Secretary, has commissioned two reviews into the debacle and Mr