Industry News from Yes Insurance

Transport minister Tom Harris has maintained that the government is still discussing the possibility of implementing a national road pricing scheme to reduce congestion, even though the technology for such a system does not yet exist.

Speaking on BBC Two's Daily Politics, he said: "It is still on the table." Mr Harris explained that the decision to not go ahead with a national scheme is that the technology does not exist to allow for such a roll-out.

However, he added that proposals from some of the bigger cities to look at road pricing are being considered.

"It is not a question of making up your mind; if we were to say today that we were going to have a national road charging policy by 2020, if the technology is not there by 2020, I would be back explaining why we haven't got a national operation," Mr Harris added, stating that the government is looking at "different solutions".

The comments came after transport secretary Ruth Kelly had announced that the M42 variable speed limits pilot scheme, which allows the use of the hard shoulder as an extra lane during busy times, would now be extended to the M6 and other motorways across the country.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that ministers in Scotland would block the implementation of road tolls north of the border by refusing to pass the legislation required to make them work.

Road pricing is a contentious issue, with car insurance customers and other road users concerned about the rising cost of driving.

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