Tory website opposes road tolls

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The Scottish Conservatives have launched a new website campaigning against road tolls.

Tory leader Annabel Goldie said if the charges were introduced it would be "a tax too far for Scotland".

Miss Goldie said motorists already paid tax on fuel and road tax and she added that some council taxpayers' money was used to maintain roads.

The site www.scotlandsaysnototolls.com opposes additional, nationwide charges for using Scotland's roads.

Ms Goldie said: "This is a regressive tax which would hit households and families on the lowest incomes hardest.

"The Scottish Conservatives want roads for the people whose taxes have already paid for them."

Extremely wary

The Tory leader also expressed concerns about the possible use of tracking technology in any future tolling schemes.

She said: "I am also extremely wary of any proposal which will put spy technology in every car and will have to rely on new untested expensive government computer systems."

Prime Minister Tony Blair said no decision on national road pricing had yet been made in his e-mail to the 1.8m signatories of a petition opposing a toll scheme.

He said the debate was about tackling congestion and not an effort to introduce a "stealth tax" on motorists.

John McGoldrick of the National Alliance Against Tolls welcomed the Tory move.

However, he added that his group had been operating a petition against tolls since 1995.

"Why have the Tories in Scotland decided to start a petition of their own, rather than supporting ours?", he said.