MP Malcolm Moss says plans to introduce a pay as you go road pricing system are just adding to fears that Britain is moving closer to becoming a big brother society. He is calling on the Government to scrap the plans. This system is socially unfair a

MP Malcolm Moss says plans to introduce a 'pay as you go' road pricing system are just adding to fears that Britain is moving closer to becoming a 'big brother' society.

He is calling on the Government to scrap the plans.

"This system is socially unfair and severely regressive on the poor and those of moderate means, especially where the option of public transport is unavailable or unsatisfactory like in North-East Cambridgeshire," he said.

"A heavy road pricing system like the one the Government proposes could economically cripple many of my constituents who rely on their cars as their primary means of transportation over significant distances."

The plan was formulated after the Department for Transport conducted a feasibility study and drew up blueprints for the system, which predicted that about 30million cars nationwide could be tracked under this road pricing scheme.

One and a half million people also signed an online petition against the plans, describing it as "sinister and wrong".

The Government says there are no cost-free answers to the environmental and congestion problems and it has decided to press on with the scheme despite the fierce opposition.

Mr Moss, MP for North-East Cambridgeshire, added: "Mr Blair should abandon the road pricing scheme and consider other options such as an urban charging scheme similar to the London congestion charge or a version of the one in place in Singapore.

"Such a scheme will target those who cause the congestion problem rather then encourage blanket targeting of all citizens.