Road pricing plans meet stiff opposition

By Peter Griffiths

LONDON (Reuters) - Plans for "pay-as-you-drive" charges on some roads were unveiled by the government on Tuesday, despite fierce opposition from campaigners against road pricing.

Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander said plans to allow local authorities to launch pilot charging schemes would cut congestion and help the environment.

He denied Conservative claims that his plan for local trials of road pricing, outlined in the Local Transport Bill, was a "Trojan horse" that will pave the way for national charges.

"The draft Bill would not provide the legal powers that would be needed for a national system of road pricing," Alexander said.

Building more roads will damage the environment and not end traffic jams, he said. Congestion is expected to rise by a quarter by 2015 if no action is taken, the government says.

The bill does not specify which areas of the country might start charging. Several local authorities have expressed interest and those that go ahead could have their schemes up and running in five years.

Critics say road pricing would be an unfair extra tax on motorists who already pay the government when buying a car, renewing their tax disc and each time they fill up with petrol.

More than 1.8 million people signed an online petition against road pricing on Prime Minister Tony Blair's Web site.