GOVERNMENT efforts to gather evidence on successful road tolling schemes will include overseas research and involve looking at UK-based schemes, including the Dartford Tunnel. Although the current licence tolling in the tunnel which takes traffic under the River Thames, runs out in 2001, the Government may continue the charges as the first example of ring-fenced tolling under the white paper.

The white paper said: 'We will consult on the continuation of road-user charging on the Dartford crossings and how best it could contribute to delivering integrated transport policy objectives related to the M25, taking account of the need for effective traffic management and the impact on the local transport network.'