Our commitment to public transport.

As a Liberal Democrat I am totally committed to improving our public transport. It is my belief that central to this is a network of fast rail links between major cities and towns and branch lines into as many small towns as possible. This network would provide a greener and more efficient way of getting passengers and freight around the country.

"All well and good", you may say, "if it was cheaper", well this is exactly what the Liberal Democrats have announced today. We have promised that we will scrap the current formula used by government to determine rail fares, a move that will mean cheaper rail fares for all.

Our key promise is to scrap the current fares formula used by the Government to set the cost of travel for commuters.

Norman Baker, the party's transport spokesman, has also promised passengers who are forced to take replacement buses will get a third of their fare refunded as compensation.

“It is time the Government stopped this train fares escalator that is so unfair on passengers," Mr Baker said.

“Labour has deliberately pushed up rail fares above inflation while the cost of driving and flying has come down."

Earlier this year a Liberal Democrat study showed Britain had the most expensive railway in Europe.

Its research showed that £10 bought a British passenger 23.8 miles of rail travel compared with 35.4 in Germany, 50 in the Netherlands, 59.1 in France and a staggering 391 in Bulgaria.

“Passengers crammed onto commuter trains have been forced to pay inflation-busting fares year after year while train companies rake in multi-million pound profits," said Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader. "It's time for passengers to come first."

It really is time for a change of government, a real change. Don't vote for the same old worn and tired Labour policies or the carefully glossed over and airbrushed policies of the Conservatives.

Vote for a real change.

Vote for the Liberal Democrats.