Local Democracy asked each of the four West of England metro mayoral candidates to write a 300-word pitch to voters. This from the Liberal Democrat candidate Stephen Williams.

I am standing in this election to be the West of England's champion, using my experience as an MP and minister to deliver more investment and more powers to make a difference to all our lives.

The regional economy has been hit hard by both Brexit and Covid.

The Tory regional mayor has shown little imagination or ambition for returning us to prosperity.

I will set up a £100million Regional Investment Fund, similar to that for the North of England.

This will help new innovative businesses get off to a flying start.

I will also create a West of England Centre for Green Technological Excellence, to invent the green products and services and also the training workers will need for a sustainable future.

Bath and Bristol have the worst public transport in England. It's a big problem for all the surrounding towns and villages.

The current Tory regional mayor has done nothing to make things better.

I would use the legal power to franchise buses right across the West of England, which would enable me to force bus companies to have new orbital routes around the communities of both cities and new links to the surrounding countryside.

There would be simple fare schemes and all buses would run on clean fuel by 2030.

House prices and rents in Bristol and Bath are unaffordable for too many local people.

The Tory regional mayor has botched the chance to plan for the thousands of new homes that are needed to meet demand.

I will make sure that all new communities have a mix of flat and house sizes to suit all incomes and that all are built to the top climate-friendly standards.

I will set up a new social enterprise to build homes for sale and private rent, with the profits reinvested in homes for social subsidised rents.