TRANSPORT secretary Alistair Darling is to deliver his verdict on the future of railways in the North-East when he addresses some of the industry's key figures.

The Government minister is being lined up to speak at a conference which aims to map out how passenger improvements will be delivered and how they will contribute to the region's economy.

Other guest speakers at the Northern Rail Strategies Conference, to be held in Leeds in November, are expected to include Network Rail chief executive John Armitt, Vernon Barker, the managing director of TransPennine Express railways, and Mike Parker, of Tyne and Wear Metro operator Nexus.

They are expected to discuss elements of the White Paper on rail transport, published in July, which revealed that the Strategic Rail Authority would be scrapped, with the Government taking back more control of the railways.

The White Paper also detailed plans to give funding to regional assemblies to spend on railways and hand more powers to local passenger transport executives.

Christine Knights, chairwoman of the North-East Rail Passengers Committee, which is co-hosting the event, said: "The purpose is to bring together local authorities, regional government agencies, train operating companies and senior figures from the rail industry to demonstrate how they can work together, taking into account the contents of the White Paper."

The committee has long said investment in railways was heavily skewed towards London and the South-East at the expense of this region.