Britain hopes to introduce a trial of "pay-as-you-drive" road charging within five to six years under proposals outlined today by transport secretary Alistair Darling.
Drivers would pay up to £1.34 a mile under a satellite-monitored system the British government says is needed to avoid gridlock on some roads in the next 20 to 30 years.
The scheme, which was recommended last year in a government-funded study, would replace road tax and fuel duty and would sharply cut fuel bills; duty accounts for around half the price of petrol.
Areas for pilot schemes will identified over the next two years, Mr Darling said.
"What is certain is that the problem of congestion is going to get worse. Doing nothing is not an option," he said. Simply boosting spending on public transport would not be enough to solve growing congestion problems, he insisted.
"If you can persuade only a small proportion of people to take their journeys earlier or later in the morning or the afternoon peak you free up a lot of capacity," Mr Darling said.
Friends of the Earth transport campaigner Tony Bosworth said: "Road-pricing is not a magic solution to our transport crisis, and won't be introduced for a number of years.
"Urgent measures are needed now to get people to use alternatives to the car and to buy greener vehicles too," he added.