Work at home, drivers told

Work at home, drivers told

Motorists will be facing a nationwide pay-as-you-drive scheme unless they work from home more often or avoid rush hour, warn the authors of a report highlighting the growing congestion of Britain's roads. Gridlock has cost the economy £160m since January as traffic increased by 1%, according to a survey today.

The worst road appears to be the M1 near Luton, followed by the M25 at Heathrow airport, and the M6 near Birmingham, despite the expensive construction of a toll road to ease congestion.

The RAC Foundation, which produced the report with Trafficmaster, warned that if traffic grew at the current rate some form of road pricing scheme would be introduced. Only a dramatic change in working habits would prevent implementation of pay-as-you-drive schemes. "It would be better for motorists to deal with the problem themselves. If you don't deal with it yourself, the government will impose a solution on you," said Edmund King, executive director of the foundation.

The prospect of nationwide road pricing, included in Labour's general election manifesto, incited one of the largest public revolts of Tony Blair's reign.

Nearly two million people signed an online petition calling on the prime minister to abandon the policy, although such a scheme might be at least 10 years away.

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2006

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