Railtrack 嘆願 for £2bn 救助（する）

By Robert Lea
Updated: 00:00 BST, 24 May 2001

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BRITAIN'S rail 網状組織 was 急落（する），激減（する）d into deeper 危機 today with Railtrack 推定する／予想するd to ask the 政府 for another £2bn handout from taxpayers. The company, which 発表するd a much-greater-than-推定する／予想するd loss of £534m, （人命などを）奪う，主張するs it needs the money over five years to 修理 the 崩壊するing ne twork.

Only last month Railtrack was given £1.5bn of 緊急 基金ing, which 初めは was 予定 to be paid after 2006. A company 広報担当者 said: 'We do believe there is a 事例／患者 for an 暫定的な review of the 財政上の 必要物／必要条件s for the 鉄道s 地位，任命する-Hatfield.'

In the City, Railtrack's desperate 試みる／企てる to keep the support of 投資家s by 辞退するing to 削減（する） its £138m 年次の （株主への）配当 appeared to have failed as the 株 price 宙返り／暴落するd again. にもかかわらず a 決定／判定勝ち（する） to keep the （株主への）配当 pegged at last year's 26.9p, Railtrack 株 fell 17 1/2p to 459 1/2p, a level that raises serious questions over its 未来 in the FTSE 100 when the blue-半導体素子 索引 reviews its 選挙権を持つ／選挙人s 早期に next month.

The company is now valued at just £2.37bn after the 株' 60% 落ちる from their 1190p high before last autumn's Hatfield derailment.

Railtrack 報告（する）／憶測d the 強くたたくing loss for the year to 31 March after a much-larger-than-想像するd clean-up 法案 地位，任命する-Hatfield when the 網状組織 was bedevilled by safety checks and 速度(を上げる） 制限s. While underlying pre-税金 利益（をあげる）s were more than halved to £199m, the company also took a £733m 地位，任命する-Hatfield exceptional 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金.

Of that, £586m has gone to the train operating companies - Virgin has 選ぶd up more than £100m - おもに in contractual 補償（金） but with £100m in ex-gratia 支払い（額）s in 十分な and final 解決／入植地 of any その上の （人命などを）奪う，主張するs for 補償（金）.

長，指導者 (n)役員／(a)執行力のある Steve Marshall 認める the （株主への）配当 could only be paid after last month's £1.5bn 加速するd 補助金 from the 政府 which 妨げるd Railtrack from 違反ing its banking covenants.

But he said the （株主への）配当 決定／判定勝ち（する） was based on 試みる／企てるing to keep the support of the City ahead of the planned 演習 to raise the £3bn to £4bn it needs for 維持／整備, 再開 and enhancement 事業／計画（する）s over the next five years. 'The board believes that it is 必須の for the company to have 接近 to the 資本／首都 markets,' he said.

分析家s said the 不確定 over the the spectre of an 付加 £700m-a-year 操作の spend was sending the 株 負かす／撃墜する. The company said it may get £500m a year 支援する from an 暫定的な price review with the regulator but that is not 予定 for 18 months. 'Until then, the company is in the twilight zone,' said one 分析家.

Marshall 計画（する）s to 'segregate' the company into three 際立った 操作／手術s - 核心 網状組織, enhancement 事業／計画（する）s and 所有物／資産／財産 - each with its own board. This raised the 可能性 of 未来 部分的な／不平等な flotations of the separate 部隊s.

The company's new 控訴，上告 for funds will raise 恐れるs at the 戦略の Rail 当局 that, にもかかわらず privatisation, it is continuing to use 抱擁する 量s of public money.

Today's loss is the first ever for the company, which only two years ago 誇るd 利益（をあげる）s of more than £1.3million a day. Railtrack also 警告するd 乗客s that its planned 再編成 and 改良 programme for the 核心 網状組織, 目的（とする）d at getting the trains running on time, will take two to three years to 器具／実施する.

The Hatfield 災害 last October in which four died and 34 were 負傷させるd 逆転するd the company's fortunes from riches to rags 事実上 夜通し.

A GNER 表明する careered off the 跡をつける at 117mph - a broken rail was to 非難する, for which Railtrack was 最終的に responsible.