The government yesterday moved away from the ill-fated 10-year plan for transport with the publication of a new white paper.

The document pledges increases in transport spending of 2.25 per cent a year to 2015, but emphasises a future need for road pricing schemes.

However any national scheme, which would require satellite tracking equipment and electronic boxes installed into cars, could not be implemented before 2014.

The Retail Motor Industry Federation said that road pricing could encourage drivers to find cheaper rat runs through uncongested areas.

"Despite assurances that the proposed road charging scheme will be cheaper for some motorists than the existing road tax system, it is likely that they will end up paying more to use their cars," said chief executive Matthew Carrington.