SCOTS commuters were told yesterday that there is still time for them

to protest about the privatisation of British Rail.

The Save Our Railways group, convened by the STUC, yesterday offered

leaflets at stations across the country and in particular at Ayr,

Stirling, and Stranraer, where the local Conservative MPs supported the

privatisation legislation.

STUC assistant secretary Richard Leonard said that on his next visit

to Scotland, Transport Minister Roger Freeman should seek the views of

the people of Scotland rather than those of the men in pinstripe suits

from Edinburgh's Charlotte Square whom he was seeking to interest in

financing privatisation.

Labour transport spokesman Brian Wilson MP said the Government's

defeat in the House of Lords this week, on an amendment giving BR the

right to compete for franchises, offered the campaign an opportunity.

He said: ''We now have a clear campaigning focus -- to make it

politically impossible for the Government to overturn the amendment.''

He also drew attention to the threat to Strathclyde Passenger

Transport Executive from local government reorganisation, since it would

require an alliance of different neighbouring councils to maintain the

present service.