Motorists will be given the option of paying more to use less congested motorway lanes under Government plans to be unveiled today.

Proposals for for pay-as-you-drive motorway lanes - dubbed "Lexus lanes" - are to be announced by Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary

The initiative, designed to ease congestion, will see nearly 500 miles of motorway lanes built for either toll or car-share use.

The toll lanes could be in place by 2010, and would be reserved for motorists willing to pay a premium to use them.

However the plans are likely to lead to accusations from the Tories that Labour has once again stolen one of its policies. Similar proposals were drawn up by the Conservatives before the last election.

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At the same time Ms Kelly is likely to confirm - as first reported in the Daily Telegraph - that the Government has shelved plans for national road pricing.

So far only two areas have expressed any interest, Cambridgeshire and Greater Manchester.

Instead, in a keynote speech on congestion, she will announce more cash for cities to deal with their own traffic problems.

The new car share lanes would be reserved for motorists with at least one passenger.

Widely used in America, they have become far easier to enforce thanks to a new camera, which can 'count' the number of people in a car.

Other initiatives to be unveiled will include proposals to use the hard shoulder on motorways to provide extra capacity.

Full article here.