Mr Byers return to the political fray came as Mr Blair backed his beleaguered transport secretary.

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Stephen Joseph, of the environmental lobby group Transport 2000, said it would be a mistake for commuters to return to their car because of fears over rail safety.

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However, BBC transport correspondent Tom Symonds said it was generally accepted that the franchise would return to the government at some point after National Express failed to alter the terms of its agreement.

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Staged at the Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra, the three-day event coincided with the first anniversary of a return of devolution to Stormont.

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By contrast, Philip Hammond, the transport secretary, reckons that the road projects the government is paying for will, on average, return six pounds of benefit per pound invested.

ECONOMIST: Infrastructure

I've been contacted by quite a few Olympic volunteers and transport workers who have concerns about how they're going to get to the Games early and return late at night.

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