World’s Most Invasive Toll System

Are they kidding with this toll collection scheme in the UK?, Talk about invasion of privacy, how do they ever expect to implement something like this, they are the masters of taxation over there in the UK, now they are trying to tax every mile you drive, desperate for cash they are.

UK Ministers are pressing ahead with a £10million trial of ’spy-in-the-sky’ road-pricing technology despite widespread public opposition.

Test runs will start soon in seven locations for the scheme which could result in charges of up to £1.30 a mile on the most congested roads.

Volunteer drivers will have units fitted to their cars, which will be tracked by satellite and will automatically deduct payments from a test account.

Test runs will start soon for a scheme which could result in charges of up to £1.30 a mile on the most congested road

The trials are proceeding despite previous statements from the Government suggesting that it had abandoned the idea of national road pricing.

Tests are expected to take place in Leeds, North Yorkshire, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, South West London, Suffolk and Essex.

The latest technology will be used to precisely track motorists’ movements at every hour of the day.

New figures from the Government show that the bill of £10million covers only part of the tests, with further costs to follow.

Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers said: ‘Labour’s instinctive Big Brother approach to the management of our road systems is the wrong way to tackle congestion.

‘We now know a spy-in-the-sky national road pricing scheme would not only penalise drivers but it is already costing the taxpayer millions. At a time when so many people are feeling the pinch and the public finances are in such a dire state, it is unacceptable for Labour to be wasting taxpayers’ money spying on motorists in this way.’

In 2004, a Government study considered a range of prices up to £1.30 a mile. It said that the top rate would be paid by only 0.5 per cent of traffic.

On-board units could be used to collect all road charges, such as congestion charges in London and tolls for crossing bridges or using new lanes on motorways.

In the longer term, the technology could be used to introduce ‘pay-as-you-drive’ pricing on all roads.

The cost would vary according to the time of day, direction of travel and level of congestion.

The study said that motorists would receive a monthly or weekly bill with the total depending on when and where they drove.

Some 1.8million signed a Downing Street e- petition against the proposals for satellite-based road pricing.

The Conservatives have said that they would scrap any national road-pricing scheme and only back smaller schemes with local support.

Four firms will run the trials: Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (UK); Sanef Tolling Limited; T-Systems Ltd; and Trafficmaster plc.

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