Nick Clegg has pledged to create a 'Garden Cities' railway line between Oxford and Cambridge to support the construction of 50,000 new houses.

The Liberal Democrat leader told his conference in Glasgow that reopening the railway between the two university cities will allow between three and five towns along its route to grow.

Towns that agree to increase their housing stock significantly in line with the Garden Cities principles of high quality, sustainable development would be offered an express service stop on the line, he added.

"If the Liberal Democrats are part of the next Government we will ensure at least 10 Garden Cities get under way with up to five along this new Garden Cities Railway," Mr Clegg said. 

"Our plan is to build a series of high quality new towns and cities where people want to live, with green space, sustainable transport and spacious homes."

A new rail link between Oxford and Cambridge would reduce railway journeys from around two and a half hours to around an hour. 

Bicester Town Council leader Richard Mould, whose local area is beside existing railway on the route of planned line, welcomed the announcement.

"We have been pressing for the Varsity Line, as it is also called, to be reintroduced as it would be beneficial for Bicester," he said. "But parts of the route are already due to reopen over the next few years."

• Nick Clegg's plan to overturn his party's anti-airport expansion stance was defeated at conference on Tuesday.

Image: © Tom Page Creative Commons

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