MOTORISTS could face charges of up to £4-a-day to drive their cars into congested cities and town centres.

But Bolton's planning and environment chief Cllr Jack Foster said today that the council would prefer to see a better integrated transport system for the town rather than hitting drivers in the pocket.

The charging scheme is among measures being considered by the Government to fight pollution caused by traffic, a national newspaper claimed today.

Cllr Foster said he preferred not to put extra financial burdens on motorists, but admitted Bolton's traffic congestion was a growing problem which was going to have to be dealt with.

"The car problem will have to be tackled sooner or later," he said. "Car ownership will double in the next 10 years." Some scheme will have to be thought up to stop congestion all round."

Cllr Foster favours creating a good integrated transport system in the town so that people prefer to use public transport. But he admitted that bus de-regulation and many different operators made it difficult.

"We have a lot of work to do on that and a lot of persuading," he said.

But he added that the council would look at "any good ideas we can use."

A spokesman for the AA said the motoring organisation would not like to see any charges brought in until there has been a full review of motoring taxation and drivers can see that their money is being put to good use to improve the transport infrastructure.

The Daily Mail says that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is also considering reviving a Conservative scheme to impose tolls on motorways.

The Tories outlined plans in May 1993 for possible British motorway tolls.

Charge levels suggested have been 1.5p a mile for cars and light goods vehicles and 4.5p a mile for lorries, creating up to £700 million a year in revenue with the money going back into construction and operation of motorways.

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