Alistair Darling told BBC Radio Kent the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) would reach a conclusion in the "not-too-distant" future.

He was in Ramsgate on Wednesday to launch an urban bus scheme in Thanet.

"We have always made it clear we want people in Kent to benefit from the high speed rail link," he said.

We hope to reach a conclusion on what we do in the not-too-distant future Alistair Darling

"It is also important we make sure that the other services in Kent which the vast majority of people will continue to travel on are there as well," he added.

"The SRA has been consulting on the service pattern - it has been controversial in some areas of the county.

"We hope to reach a conclusion on what we do in the not-too-distant future."

High-speed hopes

The SRA announced in October 2003 that fast domestic services were planned for the high speed rail link.

A recommendation was made that the service would include Medway and east Kent, but Dover and Maidstone looked set to miss out.

It was also planned that some existing services would end to make way for the new high speed service.

Under the plans, fast commuter trains would run to London from the Medway towns, Ashford, Folkestone, Canterbury and Ramsgate.

Franchise stripped

In November 2003, the SRA stripped French firm Connex of the South Eastern franchise because of poor financial management.

It was planned that a private firm would be found to take over the region's services by 2005.

The SRA currently runs the network as a wholly-owned subsidiary, South Eastern Trains.

The South Eastern franchise has 182 stations and 3,000 staff across Kent, south London and parts of East Sussex.

It was expected that the franchise would eventually include high-speed commuter trains on the Channel Tunnel link and be known as the Integrated Kent Franchise.