Liberal Democrats reveal plans for huge rail network expansion

The party's transport chiefs said thousands of miles of track would be brought back into service under the plans, which would see 3bn of investment switched from road to rail.

Party transport spokesman Norman Baker said an "A-list" of schemes for early delivery had been drawn up, which also included huge improvements on some lines serving Yorkshire.

Projects include electrification of the line linking Leeds to Manchester, Liverpool and Preston and an upgrade to electric trains on the track between York and Leeds.

Mr Baker said all the projects earmarked by the Liberal Democrats could be put into practice quickly and added that local rail services required emphasis alongside national high speed rail.

Unveiling the policy, Mr Baker said: "The Liberal Democrats will transform the railways with the biggest expansion since the Victorian age. Labour has allowed the railways to wither on the vine and punished passengers with huge fare hikes while more polluting forms of transport have got cheaper. All the while, the Tories have been sharpening the axe they will take to the transport budget.

"High speed rail is hugely important, but it is only part of the 21st-century rail network Britain needs. Our plans will reopen thousands of miles of track across the country and make our railway great again."

Business leaders and transport bosses across Yorkshire have spoken repeatedly about the need for improved services which they claim could help lift the region out of recession.

A massive revamp for services on the East Coast main line was unveiled in February and immediately welcomed after it was claimed journey times would be radically reduced and frequency of service increased.

The Government also vowed that a new 250mph line which will first be built to West Midlands would reach Yorkshire – but not for around two decades.

Mr Baker said yesterday that councils and transport authorities would also be encouraged to bid for money from the Liberal Democrats' new rail fund to improve, reopen or establish services as required.

Precise decisions on which services could be expanded would not be made until bids were received, the party said, but added some heritage lines could be returned to passenger use.

A Liberal Democrat administration would cut the Government's major roads project for the years up to 2013-14 by 90 per cent after the election and divert almost 3.5bn to rail.

Road projects which are already under way would be completed, leaving some 380m in the pot for future road schemes over the four years after the election.

Mr Baker said other rail projects included in the party's plans include the electrification of the route from Birmingham to Bristol and Basingstoke.

New or reopened stations could be funded in Ilkeston, Kidlington, Wantage, Corsham, Tavistock, Middlewich, Ashington, Blyth, Washington and Skelmersdale. New lines could also be built.