THE Infrastructure Bill seeks to transfer our main roads such as the A34 and M40 to a new company called Highways England and raises the prospect of tolling them.

The Government denies that it wants to toll existing roads, but we must ask why are tolling powers being given if there is absolutely no intention to use them?

Experience shows that drivers will understandably detour to avoid toll roads. Has the Government given any consideration to how much traffic will be displaced on to local roads if major roads are tolled?

When it recently tried to bring in a toll on the A14 in East Anglia, the public and business reaction was so strong that it had to back down.

Our roads have been paid for the public several times over. Readers are entitled to ask their MPs to introduce binding safeguards to keep them fully in public hands and remove any prospect of tolling.

Brian Gregory, chairman, Alliance of British Drivers

Today’s letters