Plans for The Highways Agency becoming a New Co could lead to Road Tolling for Motorists

The PCS are trying to prevent the Highways Agency being turned into a government owned company which could eventually lead to tolls being introduced onto Britain’s roads.

The coalition government want to pass control of the valued £111 billion, strategic road network of England to a ‘strategic highways company’ which would be out of direct oversight of parliament.

With said value, foreign sovereign wealth funds could potentially be attracted to the road network, just like the nation’s water companies.

There would be a high impact on smaller roads environmentally and the communities surrounding with people trying to avoid the tolls.

The PCS have said they ‘reject attempts to introduce tolling through the back door along with the Highways Agency turning into one or more strategic highways companies.’ Along with the PCS, the Alliance of British Drivers, a Pro-Road group is said to be backing the campaign against road tolls.

A PCS spokesperson, Mark Dollar, has said that a Downing Street petition is gathering names on the Government website demonstrating the opposition to the proposals.