The Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) has suggested that lengths of rail lines should be ripped up and the land used for express “busways”.

According to the experts, building a network of high-speed bus and coach roads could save the nation billions of pounds while also significantly reducing fares for passengers.

Britain’s railways have recently come under fire for their performance. Indeed, satisfaction levels are at their lowest in five years.

One of the main reasons so many people choose to use trains instead of buses is the faster speed they travel at. However, the IEA noted that buses could be significantly cheaper, and be just as quick as trains when it comes to shorter journeys if they were able to avoid traffic by using existing train routes.

The report noted: “It is estimated that busway fares would be at least 40 per cent cheaper than current rail fares, while on longer journeys all passengers could expect to be seated.”