Jim Hall says Metro's budgetary problems are well-known, but he thinks Metro officials are deflecting blame.

Hall spells his concerns out in a Washington Post editorial and he talks to WTOP.

Hall says recommendations were made to the transit agency after a 2004 accident on the Red Line.

"You had the NTSB investigate and make recommendations that clearly would have prevented some, if not all of the deaths, in this particular tragedy," Hall tells WTOP.

Hall believes Metro didn't follow the recommendations because it was indifferent to passenger safety.

"If you start with safety being job one, then you figure the rest of it out. That's the message that's never gotten through to the local metropolitan transit system."

Retrofitting the older subway cars with anti-climbers to keep one car from climbing onto another was among the recommendations made to Metro.

"What we were told was that any type of retrofit with this equipment, with the 1000-Series cars, could lead to -- if something were to occur -- possibly even more injuries," says Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel.

Taubenkibel says Metro is focused on safety.

"Safety at this transit agency is extremely vital and extremely important to everyone here," he says.

Since the accident, Metro has moved the 1000-Series cars so they no longer are the lead or last cars.

Taubenkibel says Metro will be phasing them out as early as 2015.

Hall says Metro should have considered raising fares after the 2004 accident.

"To not even to look at that was irresponsible," he says.

"You have to pay for infrastructure and for safety. One of the ways to do that is through the fare system."

Asked whether fares go up now?

"I don't think I'm the one to make that decision, but clearly that ought to be looked at."

Hall also believes Congress has a role to play in funding and oversight of Metro.

(Copyright 2009 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)