Drivers of "gas guzzlers" could face higher road pricing charges under proposals published by the Government yesterday.

Drivers of 'gas guzzlers' could face higher road pricing charges under proposals published by the Government yesterday
London mayor Ken Livingstone has plans for a £25 congestion charge for bigger cars

The draft Local Transport Bill has a clause insisting that any council proposing a pay-as-you-drive scheme must take account of its environmental effect.

Climate change has been highlighted in the Bill as a factor which should be considered when devising schemes.

While many of the clauses amount to little more than building on powers contained in the Transport Act 2000, the insertion of "green" provisions represents a significant shift from previous legislation.

Motoring organisations said last night that they feared the vague wording of the clause would make it easier for road pricing schemes to penalise drivers of polluting cars.


In recent months the Department for Transport has told companies designing technology for any road-pricing schemes that they should allow for differential charging.

The proposals come as councils draw up plans to raise parking charges for cars with higher CO2 emissions and within months of Ken Livingstone's planned £25 congestion charge for bigger cars.

Last night opponents of road pricing claimed that the Bill was a Trojan horse for a national scheme.

Most alarm was triggered by the proposals to give passenger transport authorities a say in any road pricing scheme.

"These authorities are not directly elected and we fear they would be at the very least one step removed from the ballot box." said the AA's Paul Watters.

Under the outline plans for road pricing, drivers could paying up to £1.30 a mile on the busiest roads at the height of rush hour.


Telegraph.co.uk