Satellites to track cars in 80p a mile toll

New details have been revealed of plans to charge London motorists up to 80p a mile to drive on city roads.

Hi-tech satellite tracking systems are expected to be introduced in 2015 and will mean significant investment in the transport network.

However, trials of a separate system of an electronic tag and beacon system are to take place in Southwark this year.

In this scheme - expected to be introduced in full in 2009 - 110 cars will be fitted with tags, allowing the cars to be detected by roadside beacons which will then deduct charges.

In the system to be introduced in 2015, Mayor Ken Livingstone wants to equip cars with satellite tracking devices so that drivers could be charged at different rates depending on how close they came to the city centre.

At peak times, the rate from the outskirts of London to the North and South Circulars would be 16p a mile.

Drivers travelling from the North Circular to the boundary of the current charging zone would be charged 48p.

Inside the zone the toll would rise to 80p a mile.

But the tolls would be levied at different times of the day and on different days of the week to cope with localised congestion.