TRANSPORT SECRETARY Patrick McLoughlin has been confirmed as the keynote speaker at the Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum's annual conference.

The event will now take place on 8 February, with the usual dinner being held the night before. It had been postponed from its usual date earlier this month because Mr McLoughlin was not available then, and also because of the continuing uncertainty over the franchising situation following the collapse of the West Coast competition in October.

Delegates will hope to hear an update on the crisis from Eurostar chairman Richard Brown, who has also been confirmed as a speaker. He is due to complete an inquiry into the Department for Transport's methods of assessing franchise bids by the end of next month.

A third speaker will be Rail Freight Group executive director Maggie Simpson.

The venue is new, because the event has moved from its traditional home at the Derby Conference Centre to Derbyshire County Cricket Club.

Mr McLoughlin can expect close interest in the franchising situation when he attends the event. As things stand he has less than three weeks left in which to complete arrangements for operation of West Coast intercity services from 9 December.

The DfT and Virgin Trains have been locked in talks for more than a month over a possible operating contract which could last for a year or so, but so far without result.