MOTORWAY tolls are unlikely to be imposed until 2002 at the earliest - at least two years behind the original scheduled Government date. Officially the Department of Transport is refusing to comment on a timescale, but at the launch on Monday of trials to test tolling technology it emerged that it could be five or six years before any scheme could be introduced.

Electronic tolling systems using smart card technology from GEC-Marconi and Bosch Telecom are now undergoing testing at the Transport Research Laboratory at Crowthorne. If they are successful further trials on the M3 at Basingstoke will be launched.

However, a Department spokeswoman was unable to say when the M3 trials would take place, how motorists will be selected to take part in the trials and whether they will involve fleet vehicles.