Road pricing schemes could be introduced without a public inquiry or referendum under government proposals to make it easier for local authorities to charge motorists for each mile they drive.

The draft Local Transport Bill, published yesterday, would remove the Government’s right to veto a local scheme or order a council to hold a public inquiry into it.

Motoring groups said that the Bill removed an important safeguard against draconian schemes that could add thousands of pounds to a driver’s annual cost of motoring.

The Bill gives councils far-reaching powers to introduce charging schemes in return for a share of a £200 million annual transport investment fund allocated by the Department for Transport. The Government wants one or more local schemes to be introduced within four or five years as forerunners to a national scheme starting around 2016.

The Bill would allow councils to give discounts to drivers who agreed to install satellite-linked meters in their cars. Ministers hope that the discounts will overcome resistance among drivers to a device that could check on their movements. The Bill makes no mention of reducing other motoring taxes.

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