Motorists who want to evade pay-as-you-drive tolls are being offered a new device that would shield their cars from the satellites used to track their movements.
But those tempted to pay £700 for the small metal box, which plugs into a car’s cigarette lighter, will find that the Government is already devising ways of catching those who try to cheat the system.
The Department for Transport is commissioning trials of technology that would enable nationwide road tolls to be introduced, with drivers paying up to £1.30 a mile for driving on the most congested roads.
Under one type of technology under consideration, cars would be fitted with a “black box” that records every vehicle movement by using a satellite positioning system.
The jamming device emits a signal that would prevent the black box from communicating with the satellite. The charging system would assume that the car was stationary even when it was moving and would not charge the driver for journeys.
But a DfT spokesman said that the team preparing for the introduction of tolls had considered how to prevent drivers from using such devices.
He said: “There is no point in using one of these devices because while they may block the satellite signal they do this by broadcasting their own signal which can easily be detected.”
He said that the draft Local Transport Bill proposed making it a criminal offence to interfere with road-pricing equipment in vehicles.
What's the point of a Police State when you can't walk the streets in safety?
You risk-averse gents still in UK are the frog gradually being boiled in the saucepan. State surveillance creeps up on you so slowly, your line in the sand in constantly being erased. You know you'll emigrate eventually, so why wait for the spike after Labour is re-elected?
Andrew Milner, Karuizawa, Nagano
Amazing how clever these people are in the government Tax the car driver Department. Pity they don't use some of this overactive brain power in some other departments where it would be more useful but less profitable for this money grubbing bunch of socialists.
A good start would be in hospitals, and from what I read perhaps they should send these brainboxes into the hospital kitchens with an electronic device for killing cockroaches and rats. Maybe they could design one which kills from a satellite transponder
Phil de Buquet, Newport, England
Anyone remember the Poll Tax riots? Go on Gordon bring this GPS thing in - I'd love a good fight up Trafalgar Square rigt now!
Rod Munch, Northampton, UK
For the last time, the boxes do not communicate with satellites. They simply decode the signal that is broadcast, and syncronise with it to work out your location. There is no 2-way communication at all.
Anyway, £700 on a GPS jammer? My God, what a con! I suspect the term "Faraday Cage" will become very well known...
Neil, London, UK
Surely it cheaper for the motorist to disable the vehicle's G.P.S tracker, by;
Firstly, the unit's internal electronics can be scrambled using a couple of powerful magnets place either side of the unit's casing.
Secondly, the unit's transceiver can be shielded using lead flashing used for roofing.
Lynn J, Leeds,
The cost of motoring in this country is already much higher than anywhere else, and we also have the most crowded roads in Europe. Obviously the pricing system doesnt work to discourage driving, just puts up the price of eberything. They say we have little inflation, but anyone who has lived abroad, as I have, knows the UK is one of the most expensive places on earth to live. I, too, will consider leaving if the government continues to raise taxes.
Rodney Sambrook, Shrewsbury, UK
Some laws will be rejected by the people. Remember prohibition....................
Richard, Bucharest, Romania
I am fed up of hearing about these new road toll schemes. If the government is so insistent on employing such a scheme, then they must be prepared for higher unemployment. I would not be able to afford to drive to work and therefore do my job. I have to use the M11 and M25 everyday to get to and from work (74 miles round trip), so they will price me and my family out of an income. And before any one says it, the prices of property are too expensive where I work to buy, so I couldn't move closer! I pay enough taxes as it is, if I don't have a job, the government will lose my tax revenue for good!
Shane, Saffron Walden, Essex
This is nothing more than a softening up exercise for road pricing, and is an example of the UK's true democracy at work. Despite nearly two million motorists signing a protest against this scheme on the government's website, here they are arrogantly trying to introduce it. It is nothing more nor less than yet another up-front, in your face TAX, as well as an invasion of privacy. Equally, it will not reduce congestion, if the statistics and history of the London congestion charge is anything to go by. How many times do you have to tell this government, not only NO, HELL NO to road pricing? Am I ever glad I decided not to return to the UK.
Adrian Ryan, Donegal, Ireland
Like the brandy and tobacco smugglers of history and today, unfair tax's or just so many of them are bitterly resented and many feel that avoidence by any means against the legal Mafia called the Treasury is a legitimate action.
I certainly do.
Barton Stacy, Salisbury,
I most certainly WON'T be having any kind of box in my car, and neither will millions of others. It's just wrong - we already pay £40 Billion per year to the government in various motoring taxes, and I don't see why we should pay any more - especially given the fact that only about 20% of that actually gets spent on the roads.
The very idea of having my movements traced and receiving a bill for going about my honest daily toil fills me with horror. No way.
Andy, Manchester, England
I'm at a bit of a loss to see what the extra money is needed for. If the country does not have enough money then cut costs and the easiest way to reduce costs is to eliminate all waste from local and central government, that would stop a few people driving to work. Probably a 20% reduction in headcount for all government and local councils would go unnoticed.
We could even subcontract most of the services to an Indian call centre, like community charge, car tax, congestion charges and other such providings.
What is the purpose of road pricing ? To reduce congestion ? Making car journeys easier for the wealthy few. It will never reduce congestion whilst goverment planning policy is to build out of town shopping malls requiring more car journeys. If you need to drive to go to work or shop, being charged for the privalige to do so does not negate the requirement for the journey.
The only people who drive for fun anymore are 17 year olds and they are going to be stopped too!
Mr T, Dundee, Scotland
Hmm well this seems to be another way motorists try and evade the law. after the arguements on raising the legal driving age to 18 to prevent accidents there is already a system to dodge a road tax. this is pathetic, the roads would be safer if the rules were obeyed, if you don't like them elect a different government to change them.
in regards to including motor insurance, it isn't a tax, it is paying a small amount so when an accident occurs you are not completely out of pocket. a large part of the reason it seems high is because some drivers choose to not take it out (ileagally) which means to have a pool of money to pay your claim the insurer must charge more.
there may be fairer ways to work the tax system, but simply breaking the rules isn't it, it will simply create more rules.
these devices will become illegal, with a fine greater than the tax lost.
Ben, folkestone, uk
Once again, The government are planning on using the motorist as a cash cow. Not only that, but presumably they will be able to accumulate information on journeys made, no doubt mistakenly selling the information to all and sundry in the process via another hugely expensive government IT failure.
And all this for your 'safety and security' and to 'reduce your carbon footprint'
enough's enough.
PaulH, Londongrad, USSK
This whole road pricing scheme is just an Orwellian device to track people's movements. Already the police have said that they will have access to the data.
Gervas Douglas, Andorra la Vella,
Why should we have to pay road tolls in this country.We already pay the highest tax on fuel in this counrty together with a totally outdated system of road tax and high enough insurance premiums without having to pay another tax to get from A to B. The fairest system if the government ( for the moment) wnat to encourage more money out of motorists to apy for the upkeep of roads is to abolish road tax , cut the duty on fuel and restructure the way car insurance is levied.They may find that people would be more receptive to paying road tolls, whereas at the momnet it just seems to myself and the vast majority of people that the government are just intent on taxing the British public as much as they can to fund whatever scheme they can next invent which is usually something that benefits the few.
Simon, Liskeard, UK