As the latest toll road opens here, bypassing Drogheda, a move to charge motorists according to road usage is being debated in Britain. Michael McAleer and Gaby Hinsliff report.
British transport secretary Alistair Darling is proposing charges for using crowded roads during the school run and "rush hour" tolls for commuters . Seminars were held yesterday with academics and motorists' organisations to debate practical issues of such a scheme.
Darling wants a satellite tracking device fitted to cars to clock journeys. Commuters, school-run drivers and motorway users will bear the brunt of the system, where charges are highest for rush-hour travel and congested roads. As a sweetener, car tax would be scrapped and petrol tax cut when the charges are introduced.
According to Darling, those who rarely drive, or do so "off peak", could see car costs fall once taxes were cut. He concedes that a nationwide system is at least a decade away but says: "If we don't start thinking about it now, we are going to face a situation where we will have very, very severe traffic problems. We are going to have to face up to these choices and I want to stimulate a proper debate."
According to a recent RAC opinion poll, 76 per cent of British motorists would accept charging if petrol prices were cut in return.
Persuading drivers and car-makers to fit satellite tracking technology raises civil liberties concerns. Such data is valuable to police checking alibis and to counter-terrorism surveillance. Darling said this needs "special consideration" but he uses his mobile phone, even though its location could be traced.
Tracking systems are nothing new here. On Monday Axa launched its Traksure system for young drivers. Speeds and distances are monitored via a dashboard device sending signals every three minutes through satellite and mobile infrastructure.
In joining Traksure, drivers from 17-years of age are offered premium discounts. For example, a 19-year-old provisional licence holder in Dublin driving a one-litre car now pays €3,881 (previous Traksure rate was €4,102) compared with the normal rate of €6,950 - saving 33 per cent.
According to Axa's Brian Hughes, "every time we report on the month's driving it's analysed. While there is no absolute number of infringements before you are removed from the programme, we categorise the report as acceptable or unacceptable based on each month's data. Our average infringement rate is about 7 per cent. Those going above that could expect a warning. Three warnings and you lose the benefits."
The system also allows customers to keep track of their cars via the Internet. Already the system has been used to intercept a stolen vehicle.
Additional reporting: Guardian News Service