HUNDREDS of rail station improvement schemes are being shelved due to a lack of funds, the Strategic Rail Authority said yesterday.

It had been hoped that as many as 1,000 schemes would go ahead, but now only 68 schemes - worth £25.6m - will be proceeded with over the next two years.

"We are working within financial constraints and the rail industry is aware that it must get a grip on costs," said a spokes-man for the authority.

He said they hoped to make a "robust and convincing case" for further schemes at a later date.

The cut-backs were attacked by environmental group Friends of the Earth, which said that local authorities were now reluctant to put money and resources into rail improvement schemes in the future.

Brian Milnes, chairman of the Tees Valley branch of Transport 2000, said: "This is terrible news. There are dozens of stations in the North-East crying out for improvements. Stations like Middlesbrough are run-down and dirty and don't even have facilities such as a shop."