Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has announced plans to create a new rail link to help boost the rate of housebuilding.

Mr Clegg pledged to reopen the Oxford to Cambridge rail link as a garden cities line that could help to create five new developments featuring up to 50,000 new homes.

Towns along the route are being encouraged to put forward plans that will benefit existing residents, such as 'express stations' with higher frequency rail services.

A further benefit of the garden cities line would be a reduction in rail journey times between Oxford and Cambridge from 2.5 hours to roughly 60 minutes.

Announcing the plans, 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."

The Liberal Democrat leader added that at least ten new developments would get underway if his party formed part of the next government.