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Out Of My Way Poor Person

Road charging now being considered, despite public petition

The Highways Agency is considering a plan to add an extra lane to Britain’s motorways that would potentially allow drivers to skip traffic jams – for a fee that is. A toll would be introduced to use the lane and drivers could choose to remain in the existing lanes or pay for a faster journey.

The “Lexus lane” (so-called because of the perception that only wealthier drivers will be able to afford to use it) would added by either widening the road or using the hard shoulder.

A similar scheme is operation on some highways in California where motorists pay between 75 cents and $8 to use the special lane. During peak periods the toll increases and deters masses of people using the lane, ensuring it moves quicker than the other lanes used by poorer folk.

An agency insider said that the existing gantries already carry CCTV cameras and automatic numberplate-recognition cameras could be easily installed to monitor and enforce the ‘Lexus lane’.

Senior managers at the Highways Agency are studying possible motorways that would benefit from the added lane. Likely contenders are the M6 between Manchester and Birmingham and certain sections of the M1.

Up to now, the government has backed away from road pricing schemes since 1.8 million motorists signed a petition against it at the beginning of this year.