England Moves Forward On Pay-As-You-Drive Program

"A draft bill lays down the ground rules for local authorities wishing to introduce pilot schemes."

"Ten areas in England, including Manchester and Birmingham, have expressed an interest in road pricing but have insisted any schemes should only follow large investment in public transport infrastructure."

"The plans come despite an online petition against charges on the Downing Street website that received nearly 2m emails."

Many of those oppose worry that the pilot programs are a predecessor to national imposition of road pricing plans -- which many say should be decided upon locally, not nationally.

"The government made it clear that this bill alone would not provide the legal powers needed for a national road pricing system and stressed decisions on any national scheme would only be made after assessing the impact of pilot schemes."