England’s national highways stand to be licensed out to companies who would maintain them or develop new capacity. These operators would be able to impose tolls on existing roads. Drivers using them would be forced to install tracking equipment in their vehicles at cost – or face fines.
The Bill makes it possible for the tolls to continue even after their work is over. The excuse that there might not be enough money for developing and maintaining roads is far from convincing.
ABD Policy Director Brian Gregory commented: “Drivers pay over £60 billion a year in motoring taxes, with just £14 billion spent back on our roads, which are often poorly-maintained. Successive governments have profited from drivers by at least £30-40 billion each year for a whole generation.
“Morally, the necessary investment has been paid for several times in advance. Our highways are a public good built up from everyone’s taxes, and should not be spun off for profiteering at the expense of the driving public.
“Apart from hitting drivers, the added cost of having food and goods delivered would affect families without cars too. A massive 82% of freight is carried by road.
“Experience at home and abroad shows that drivers tend to avoid tolled roads where there is a free alternative. In London, the Blackwall Tunnel was tolled by Mayor Khan so that it didn’t compete with his new Silvertown Tunnel.
“So, to make concessions lucrative enough for operators, can we expect moves to cover large swathes of our national highways with tolls so that free alternatives no longer exist?
“A government that has continuously raised motoring taxes and is making a windfall from the misery of high fuel prices cannot be relied upon to protect our interests.
“Time and time again the public has shown it does not want tolls. Think of the massive petition against Tony Blair’s plans (launched by ABD’s Peter Roberts). Local action has also stopped tolls on the A14 in East Anglia; in London, Manchester and Edinburgh.
“Andy Burnham cancelled a planned tolling scheme for Greater Manchester after a public backlash. I call on him to be a ‘cost of living Prime Minister’ and ditch these proposals inherited from Sir Keir Starmer.”
ENDS
Produced on behalf of The Alliance of British Drivers.
For all media enquiries, contact Paul Naylor on 07914 304 504 or email paul@mediaandyou.co.uk
Notes: Founded in 1992, the Alliance of British Drivers (ABD) is the leading organisation promoting the interests and concerns of drivers in the United Kingdom. The UK has over 37 million drivers – that is a majority; we should stop tolerating the way we are treated by the government and local councils. Cars, vans and taxis account for 80% of the mileage of all trips in the UK, and over 65% of goods being carried by road. The road network, and the people who use it, are of vital importance to the nation’s economy. Drivers should expect the road network to be improved and maintained to a standard that is fit for purpose. They should be able to use the roads in a safe and responsible manner without being subject to unreasonable charges, restrictions or penalties.
Notes for Editors:
Copy and paste any of the following URLs to read more by subject matter.
Bill documents
https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/4290
The proposals are ‘Continuity Starmer, developing the Regulated Asset Base concept in the King’s Speech in May
Breakdown of motoring taxation
Recent figures for six main taxes, ballpark
Fuel Duty £24.9Bn
VAT on fuel £13.0Bn
VAT on car sales £11.0Bn
VED (car tax) £8.2Bn
Insurance Premium Tax £2.09Bn
Company car taxes £1.58Bn
Total £60.77Bn
Note: these exclude taxes like VAT on car servicing, existing charges for crossings, London Congestion Charge, etc. Fuel duty is planned to rise by 5p/litre in 2027, then increase in line with RPI.
Spend on roads
https://www.roadusers.org.uk/?page_id=403 (2023)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/298675/united-kingdom-uk-public-sector-expenditure-transport-by-category/ (2025/26)
Roads potentially affected Strategic Road Network
https://nationalhighways.co.uk/roads-and-travel/road-projects/roads-we-manage/
Freight statistics
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-statistics-great-britain-2025/transport-statistics-great-britain-2024-freight
Burnham cancels planned Greater Manchester tolling after public backlash
https://www.regit.cars/car-news/andy-burnham-pm-what-it-could-mean-for-drivers
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, party conference speech, 28 Sept 2026
Contrast treatment of rail with the cost of motoring under the Bill.
https://labourlist.org/2026/09/transport-secretary-heidi-alexander-addresses-party-conference-her-speech-in-full/
This Labour government is renationalising our railways, putting people before profit. Conference, this time next year, we will be a few, short months away from Day One of Great British Railways – the new publicly owned body which will manage both tracks and train.
For further statistics and other references, visit bit.ly/47GZajQ
