DELEGATES from all over North Yorkshire and the North-East were attending a major conference on the future of the railways in York yesterday.

Leading figures from the industry, the media and the North-East rail passengers' committee were addressing the conference organised by the committee at the National Railway Museum.

The conference was organised several weeks ago, but it was held on the day after the end of the latest 48-hour strike by conductors working for Arriva Trains Northern.

The strike over pay by members of the Rail and Maritime Transport Union disrupted services over a large part of the region and the union has warned that there could be further action.

Arriva caused controversy last year by replacing some train services in the region with buses because of a shortage of train drivers.

Yesterday's conference followed a similar successful event in 2001 and a spokesman for the rail passengers' committee said: "The timing is particularly appropriate in the light of recent events in the industry and the high profile media attention they have attracted."

Other issues which have hit national and local headlines recently have included the placing of Railtrack into administration by the Government, signals being passed at danger by train drivers and general rail health and safety questions.

Among the speakers at yesterday's conference was Robin Sisson, deputy chairman of the North-East rail passengers' committee, on developing forgotten rail routes in the North-East.

Delegates included representatives of the Wensleydale Railway Association, which wants to restore passenger services between Northallerton and Redmire