The Green Party in Britain kicked off election year with a pledge to cut rail and bus fares across the country by 10 per cent.

The Party, which enjoyed a surge in support last year and is harbouring hopes of a significant breakthrough at this year's election, said it would increase public investment in public transport fares by £1.8bn (1£ = $1.5). It added that it would fund the move, which would cost £9bn over the course of the parliament, by scrapping the bulk of the government's £15bn road building programme.

The announcement comes just days after a New Year message in which Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett predicted the Greens were on the verge of a breakthrough, noting that the party's membership has grown 120 per cent in the past year and it recently recorded 10 per cent support in an election poll for the first time.