PASSENGERS on two little-used North-East rail routes were told yesterday to come up with ideas to boost income and cut costs to save them from the axe.

The two are among 56 loss-making lines across the country where the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is demanding a doubling of income and a halving of subsidies.

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling immediately said it was up to passengers, community groups and local authorities to prove the routes were still viable.

He announced plans to set up community rail partnerships to improve marketing and allow operators to save money by opting out of industry-wide maintenance standards.

The two local lines named among the loss-making 56 are:

* Middlesbrough to Whitby (Guisborough junction to Whitby section);

* Saltburn to Bishop Auckland (Darlington to Bishop Auckland section).

However, only the Middlebrough to Whitby route, the Esk Valley Line, has been given the immediate go-ahead to form a community rail partnership.

A cap on fares will be lifted, to allow operators to offer special deals, perhaps linked to bus services. However, the SRA also said fares were too low on some rural lines.

Lower standards, for example for disabled access, will be allowed. And more will be demanded to ensure fares are paid, to tackle extensive evasion.

The SRA made it clear that a big increase in passenger numbers alone would not be enough to save many of the lines. It wants to slash £300m off the total level of subsidy.

David Quarmby, the SRA's chairman, said: "Too many empty seats are running up and down Britain's branch lines safely and reliably, but expensively. Even if they were filled, the lines would still require unaffordable levels of subsidy, so this strategy charts a way both to grow income and to reduce costs."

John Thurso, the Liberal Democrat's transport spokes-man, said: "This must not become an easy way out for the Government to offload its responsibilities on to communities."