Motorists in Oxfordshire will not be charged for using their cars -- despite an influential group of MPs recommending drivers be billed in order to slash congestion in clogged-up cities.

Oxfordshire County Council has reiterated its pro-car stance after the Commons Transport Committee said on Thursday local road-pricing could mark the first step towards a national system of road tolls.

The committee said it was up to local authorities to take the "political risk" of introducing projects aimed at reducing increases in road traffic.

But that is unlikely to happen while pro-motoring councillors like Tory county council leader Keith Mitchell and David Robertson, the executive member for transport, remain at County Hall. Both are vehement supporters of motorists' rights.

Last year Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce president Keith Slater said it would "only be a matter of time" before congestion charging was introduced in Oxford.

But Mr Robertson said: "The technology for road charging is nowhere near ready to have a comprehensive system, but Oxfordshire County Council's position is that we have introduced the Oxford Transport Strategy -- and we think that is a lot better than congestion charging.

"We have no plans whatsoever to introduce charging." Figures released by the Department for Transport earlier this month showed motorists in Oxfordshire were not leaving their cars and using public transport instead.

Traffic on local roads has risen by 7.7 per cent, with motorists travelling 73 billion kilometres on the county's roads in 2003 -- up from 6.8 billion in 1997.

Local councils already have the power to introduce congestion charging schemes, but despite the Department for Transport's prediction of a proliferation of schemes following London Mayor Ken Livingstone's success, only one council -- Durham -- has copied the idea. In Edinburgh council chiefs proposed a similar scheme, but it was flatly rejected in a local referendum.

Transport committee chairman Gwyneth Dunwoody said: "Road pricing is not pie in the sky. "The country's first congestion charging scheme has successfully reduced traffic congestion in central London.

"Local authorities should decide whether urban charging schemes would reduce congestion on local roads.

"Road pricing will not be easy to implement, but we face a stark choice between a gridlocked road system or changing the way we pay for road use.

"Towns and cities are important economic centres which, to survive, need to attract business, employment, services and shoppers.

"Part of the risk associated with local charging schemes is whether an individual city would be able to withstand the economic impact of trade diverting to other neighbouring cities that did not have a congestion charge, and with out-of-town shopping centres and business parks, which already provide strong competition."