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Roads petition nears one million Roads petition breaks a million
(about 11 hours later)
Almost one million people have signed up to an online petition opposing plans to introduce road charging in the UK. More than one million people have signed an online petition against plans to introduce road charging in the UK.
The petition, which is the most popular on the Downing Street website, calls for the scrapping of "planned vehicle tracking and road pricing policy".The petition, which is the most popular on the Downing Street website, calls for the scrapping of "planned vehicle tracking and road pricing policy".
But No 10 has insisted that doing nothing would lead to a 25% increase in congestion "in less than a decade".But No 10 has insisted that doing nothing would lead to a 25% increase in congestion "in less than a decade".
The petitioners argue that road charging would be an "unfair tax". The petition was posted by Peter Roberts, from Telford, Shropshire, who said it was an "unfair tax".
The petition - posted on the No 10 site by Peter Roberts, of Telford, Shropshire - has garnered 993,003 signatures to date. Mr Roberts - whose petition broke through the million signature-barrier by 1045 GMT on Saturday - believes charging is unfair on poor people and those who live apart from their families.
Mr Roberts has been a member of the Association of British Drivers (ABD) since 2001. The next-most popular petition on the Downing Street website has little more than 5,000 signatures.
The petitioner has been a member of the Association of British Drivers (ABD) since 2001.
The ABD has called for a referendum on the issue "as soon as possible", but it has insisted Mr Roberts acted as an individual and not on behalf of the organisation.The ABD has called for a referendum on the issue "as soon as possible", but it has insisted Mr Roberts acted as an individual and not on behalf of the organisation.
Plans to introduce a nationwide "pay-as-you-drive" system were unveiled by former Transport Secretary Alistair Darling in 2005.Plans to introduce a nationwide "pay-as-you-drive" system were unveiled by former Transport Secretary Alistair Darling in 2005.
Mr Darling's successor, Douglas Alexander, has since suggested that road pricing could be brought in within a decade.Mr Darling's successor, Douglas Alexander, has since suggested that road pricing could be brought in within a decade.