What I don't understand about this is that from my experience of driving on Motorways - it is having a high speed differential between lanes that is REALLY dangerous. (For example on the M1 at Jn 21 South there are regularly people queing to get off while to outside lanes are running at speed). How does encouraging this help?

Mark Adams, Mansfield,

I would like to point out to advocates of toll roads such as the M6 Toll - an exorbitantly overpriced empty road - the main reason it is empty is because it costs too much to travel on!
It may seem great at £3.50 (last time I looked - probabl;y £6.00 this week) but once tolls become the norm the road will be full and paying £3.50 a pop won't be such a novelty then.
Don't be so gullible.

David Thijm, Stourbridge, UK

errr - excuse me isnt the hard shoulder meant as a safety zone for broken down vehicles?
Presumably when a car breaks down which happens on every motorway on every day, most of the time it makes it onto the hard shoulder where it does not impact on other traffic.
Where will vehicles breaking down go?
This proposal MUST surely be illegal.
This proposal will result in an untold number of deaths!!
How will recovery vehicles, police fir and ambulance services access breakdowns, accidents, detritus in the road etc
I'm beginning to believe these politicians dont actually live in the UK?

cheryl, London, UK

Unbelievable, no what i actually mean is believable but typically ridiculous. Its funny how most ideas put forward as 'Green' cause a large proportion of the population to go 'RED' with anger. I am not compleatly against toll roads, for instance the M6 toll is brilliant, always empty, and therefore worth it. by reducing the size of an already congested motorway and charging people to use one lane you will be adding to congestion. Motorways are the Labour governments railways. Labour blamed the tories for years of underinvestment in the railways. Now labour are committing the same crime. Labour have once again proved that when they leave they would have left a legacy of inefficiency, ineffectiveness an incompitance....and dont even get me started on house prices.

Grant, london,

I've got a really neat idea. Why dont we use all the money collected as road tax and use it to improve the road in this country?

stephen, Kl, Malaya

Sheer idiocy.

You want to increase throughput and average speed on our motorways?

Either:
a) fine, prosecute and remove from our motorways every middle lane driver who is driving in any other lane than the inside lane, when they are not overtaking
or
b) let the rest of us undertake these dangerous, ignorant drivers

You can build a 6 lane motorway, and these twits will drive in whatever is "second lane to the right". Three lanes or 20 lanes, they'll be over on the right.

If I were to follow the Highway Code to the letter (and not undertake), it can take me 8 LANE CHANGES - statistically proven to be the most dangerous manoeuvre to execute on our motorways - to get round them and back to the inside lane.

We DO have available motorway space without going completely loopy and using our hard shoulders. It is called the inside lane and it's where most people clogging up the middle lane should be.

Move them over, or let us get past them either side.

Laura Roberts, London, UK

Disgusting. Yet another half-thought through idea which will only lead to chaos on the roads and resentment against the government.

This scheme should only be bought in if the trains are cheap enough and reliable enough to be a viable option, and this is blatantly not the case.

J Hunt, London, UK

Okay, I am prepared to listen to the Greens and their arguement that I should be prized out of my car at all costs. However, our wonderful and obviously deaf government is pushing through rapid expansion of Britian's airports... Why?

Eleven years after John Prescott promised "cheap and efficient public transport for all" our busses and trains are still outrageously expensive, unpunctual, dirty and overcrowded.

There is no alternative... You travel to work to earn money to pay tax and are taxed again en route. I've written to my (Tory!) MP to bring this matter to his attention and received a patronising response along the lines of "put up and shut up". I replied that my vote will therefore be remaining in my pocket and not crossed next to his name at the forthcoming elections.

Money and votes. It's the only things they are capable of understanding. Deprive them of both until they listen and act.

Paul , London, UK

Forget about charging for motorways, that would only divert traffic on to less suitable roads. Where they need to charge for road use is in the cities and suburbs where there are public transport alternatives. Start with a low charge but plough all the profits back into public transport, and as it is improved gradually raise the congestion charge to match. We all know in our hearts that traffic volumes can't go on increasing indefinitely without gridlock, but the longer we delay taking steps to reverse the situation the worse the pain of going into that reverse will be.

Barry, Wallington, UK

If they are thinking of increasing the speed limit on these toll lanes is that not admitting that the current speed limit is too low and could be set higher. How could you give someone a ticket for speeding ( on safety grounds ) when the person in the next lane is allowed to travel at that speed.

Richard Clapperton, Manchester,

And I suppose chauffeur-driven government limousines will continue to cruise past in the multi-occupancy lanes. How clever.

Dick, Isle of Wight, UK

Another excuse to rip-off the over-taxed motorist. Enjoy your moment of fame, Nu Labour, because many voters will see this as the final straw. It will be a long time before you get to ru(i)n the country again.

Dave, Newcastle,

Its little wonder that a lot of my freinds and I are considering a move away from this country. Anything that is slightly pleasurable for the average man is taxed beyond belief. Instead of taxing motorists and moderate drinkers/smokers out of the country, the government should revise its spending plans. Paying for 14 year olds to have babies after spending money on educating them on protection is not a wise thing. I am only 23, and from what I have seen, this country has a lot to prove.

Mark, London,

ITs time for new goverment after all this one is such acoward that they will on do this,

"Trials of road pricing will begin in the autumn and local charging schemes in Manchester and Cambridge are likely to be approved after the local government elections in May."

That right lets wait till after we get your votes to tax you some more, that would now make 5 diffrent taxs on driving its rip off as is everythign in this country.

What we actaull need is £300 fine for driving in the middle lane, for your entire joruney that is what causes the problems and HGV's doing 1 mile an hour more than the one they want to over take and causing a tale back for the 16 miles it takes them to over take.

Theis goverment has lost all touch with relaity, and jsut thinks we are going to sit here while they tax and tax and tax us some more for the same thing over and over again, It's time for a revolution forget elections they just dont work any more!

MR W Jones, Liverpool, England

these would be the same lanes that people use when they break down right?

Who is up for breaking down every 1/2 mile of one of these sections of road when they are introduced?

marcus saw, horndon on the hill, uk

Keep the lorries and large vehicles in Lane 1 (inside lane), at peak times, and most of our problems will be solved. It works on the continent, and should be trialed (properly) here.

Mick M

MTM, Gloucester, UK

"Ms Kelly said that the initiative would help the Government to move beyond the “sterile debate” between road-pricing enthusiasts and those who claim it will be a stealth tax."

I beg to differ - this is NOT a sterile debate - road pricing is indeed a stealth tax, no, I take that back, it is a straight, no-nonsense, in-your-face, up front TAX! Once again the cash cow of the the motorist is going to be milked yet again.

It was only last December that The Times reported that in 2006 £45bn was paid in motoring taxes, and only £7.5bn of that was spent on roads - I rest my case.

Adrian Ryan, Donegal, Ireland

'Ban lorries from overtaking each other and you would reduce congestion by a lot'

Hear hear!

Charles Charlie Charles, Cheltenham,

Tax on fuel, Road Fund Lic and VAT ... this is just another way to take money from the motorist ... its the easy way out of doing nothing new to solve a problem labour have failed to solve since they came to power. Little wonder from a party with no imagination who's only answer to any problem is raise taxes yet again ... why am I not surprised

Chris, Kendal,

Look, many people currently using Mways do not understand how to drive on them, or even how to drive onto them.

Driving on them:
Move to the left at your earliest opportunity, after overtaking and when the nearside lane becomes clear.
Likewise at a contraflow blend over to the left in good time.

Joining a motorway:

Going flat out down the slip entry with right hand indicator on and forcing entry is not the way it causes tailbacks and stoppages on the main carrigways.
Adjust your speed to nearside lane traffic and blend in smoothly.

If everyone adhered to the above life on the motorways would be completely different.

I am a former professional driver / chauffeur to private UK company completing big mileages in UK and France.
HGV class 1 and 2. Police Class 1 standard IAM car/mcycle
Retired 61 yrs with only one licence endorsement for speeding - 45mph in 40mph limit - in 1983, I have held a full licence since 1966.

John Shooter, HARROGATE, ENGLand

Yet another way to make motorists pay!!! If this is going to become policy let alone really see the light of day, then fuel tax should be cut with the abandonment of the 2p rise planned for April.

Marios Patrinos, Reading, UK

its about time people in this country actually stood up to what is called our government. We the motorists are just cash cows fleeced at every turn by the low life politicians.

barry, derby,

well Pablo. you should come and see the state of the roads in Scotland!

chrissy, perth,

Oh goody, more taxes!

Phill, The Wirral, England

Tax , now to all you complaining you voted labour in so vote them out we live in a democracy last I heard

As for road tax , look its easy to penalize the middle class as most people who use rush hour are middle class and since most of the politicians make money out of the middlle class well guess what

As for middle class ie people with families wanting a safe house , good schools , a roof , clothes and a happy life.

I suspect if we were to say anything we will be probably arrested or worse still ignored but hey whats new we are ignored anyhow.

Please I agree with a road tax provided we use it for the roads , but at the same time howabout reducing fuel costs , car costs and so on .

Will it happen you tell me ?
Bottom line we will just do what the someone else says as its easier and we have been numbed down over the last 10 years , always being told tories did it bad and used as an excuse

I think just pay the tax , see road improvements , reduce car and fuel costs and we smile

Joe Bloggs, birmingham,

Nothing to do with fareness, the motorist gets another back door tax to pay! The new lanes are being concidered because of bad planing by this governments and previous governments. If 80% of revenue collected from motorists in the past had been spent on roads we could have the best roads in Europe! Motorists will not forgive a government that imposes new charges to drive on what motorists already own. How Labour polititians have the ordasity to creat rich man, poor man roads is behond belief!

RayB , Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

The problem with all road pricing systems are that they allow the rich to travel unrestricted, and price the poor out of travel/
Since this government came to power they have built virtually no new roads. I know that we cannot tarmac the country, but a large number of small town need bypasses to improve life for the inhabitants, and plenty of existing by-passes need improvement. Two schemed in Sussex were canceled by this government, causing endless delays on what is supposed be a main east-west trunk road, the A27

KW, Bognor Regis, England

Motorways without hard shoulders are death traps.

Roswhita, London,

The hard shoulder is there for a reason. What chaos would ensue from just one breakdown and how on earth would emergency services reach the scene of an accident? Apart from the inherent idiocy of these incompetent schemes, they're downright dangerous. Is there any end to this meddling, taxing government?

Roger, Milan, Italy

How are the emergency services supposed to get to the scene of an accident if all the lanes are blocked.
They should be investing in public transport and reducing the cost, to get people out of cars.
How the hell does it cost £40million per mile? or is this figure an attempt to justify this stupid plan.

john, Leeds,

Tax, Tax, and more Tax. I curse the stupidity, greed and total lack of vision of politicians and their 'think-less tanks'. Toll charging is a tax on going to work as the most expensive times will be the rush hour. Most people are already paying exhorbitant parts of their wages to get to work. We are getting less and less competitive as a nation every time the government has a brainwave about how to get more tax.
I am sick to death of Labour - and the Tories ideas on transpoort are just as brain-dead.

If they are going to open the hard shoulder it will only be a couple of years at the present population rate of increase before we are congested again. Charging will do nothing but give the government more money to waste. Use the hard shoulder to force trucks into the two inner lanes only. This will have exactly the same effect without the tax! Stop enforcing stupid speed limits that everyone ignores for good reason.
Start planning on reducing the population. NO MORE TAX!!!

David Thijm, Stourbridge, UK

it would be much helpful if the government can focus on improving the current public transport system than imposing fees on the general public. What choices do you have if the bus never runs on time and the rail service is such appalling! would anyone opt for the 3 hours option for taking public transport while it only takes 1 hr by car? (not to mention that the DoT covered up the disappointing performance of the current rail system)

sw, cambridge, England

Yippee another stealth tax from the trough snouters.

We all know congestion would be eased on these roads if the correct use of lanes were to be enforced. Triffic Traffic need to educate people with repeat offenders being fined.

Or of course we can just believe the usual westminster tosh and come up with an alternative which as always does not address or fix the real issue. Modern day driving standards suck.

Simon, Soton,

Governmentspeak :
"The Department for Transport will make all vehicles pay in order to ensure traffic remains free flowing".

How does paying make the traffic free flowing................................
or do I live on another planet ?

Same old road pricing policy in a different wrapping.

Josh Martin, Oxford, Gt.Britain

I suppose the politicians and their families will claim these tolls on their expenses??
if this is actually about congestion relief then why don't they just build the new lanes and let everyone use them?

Rob, Madrid,

This sounds like the real mad thinking of the present government of the UK. Do they ever think anything out properly any more? Doing this it becomes a tax and nothing else. Pay more if you wish to drive at the legal speed limit. If not ride in the lanes that will be even more congested. If they do not raise enough money per hour they could even think of using variable speed limits and restrict speed down to 10 or 20 MPH in the none paying lanes. Total madness. As the article says it will favour the rich and penalise the rest of the population.
The UK has to have an integrated traffic system - better bus routes, railway service and roads. The objective is to be able to move people and goods around the UK as efficiently as possible not to raise yet another tax. I am afraid the government has to cough up and pay but they will win in the longer term with better efficiency of workers and transport (and win with more tax returns).

Barry Woodhams, Le Plessis Bouchard, France

This is fine as long as they are willing to abandon the taxes that we already pay for the upkeep of the roads

Suki, Leicester,

And why don't the government spend money on alternative methods of transport to cars? Living in the West Midlands, which is one of the biggest conurbations in Europe, it's about time we had an underground system. I'd happily use my car less if that was available... Oh I forgot, the government only spend money on London.

Pablo, Birmingham,

Ban lorries from overtaking each other and you would reduce congestion by a lot

raymond, Liverpool, UK

They could have spent a reasonable amount on roads but they thought they could improve public transport instead. Some hope!

Brian Gilbert, HAMPTON, Middx

This is a terrible idea and should be forgotten as swiftly as possible.

Bob Hyde, Torbay, Devon

The complexities of Congestion charging, toll roads, paying for fast lanes, satelite tracking....etc etc can all be overcome with improved public transport. We have a choice then to drive or use public transport. But we have found over the last decade that taxes go up but services detiorate

But we are talking about New Labour where OLD labour habits die hard "if it moves, tax it; if it is still moving, tax it further and legislate it with a combination of centralisation and failed computer management systems and unnecessary paperwork; if it stops, blame it on the previous government"

In fact I will go for a walk at the weekend, should that be taxed Brown/Darling?

M Mosobbir, Surrey, UK

The New Labour politicos in their plush limos will use the rich lanes, while we poor motorists use the poor lanes.

RB, Aberdeen,

If the hard shoulder is converted to a fast lane, then (1) where will breakdowns be dealt with and (2) how will the normal traffic get across the fast lane coming on and off at junctions and service areas? As reported, it all fails to make any sense.

Tony Merson, Farnham, Surrey,

MS KELLY, MR BROWN......GIVE US A VIABLE, AFFORDABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM.

People don't use the transportation system because it simply costs too much money.

You want to reduce the number of domestic flights? Impose caps on the charges for rail journeys.

You are (supposedly) educated people......it shouldn't be too difficult to work out a solution.

At present you are ensuring that the Labour Government doesn't see another term in office....so with that in mind......carry on!!!

Ben, Ware, UK

Should this not read “toll lanes will be introduced where they will generate the greatest returns for GB and his cronies”?,

I see the M3 is included and I know of no plans for any extra lanes other than using the hard shoulder, what this really means is "universal" speed cameras and charging for using the roads we currently have.

My answer to the problem is stop further immigration, the UK indigenous population is actually in decline and does that tell where the extra people and cars may be coming from? - I wonder.

Peter, Camberley, UK