Motorists may face fines of up to £180 if they fall foul of a proposed new road tolling system currently being considered by the Government.
Ministers have recently launched plans to implement a pay-as-you-drive scheme in which traditional toll booths are replaced by an automated system.
The news comes just days after it was announced that the Government is considering a two-tier road tax system, under which motorists would have to pay extra to use motorways and major A-roads.
Under the proposed system, Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras would monitor the toll roads, and fixed penalty notices would be automatically sent to drivers who have failed to pay. The London Congestion Charge is already enforced in a similar way.
Motorists will be able to pay the toll on the internet, by phone or in a shop, and will be able to pay within a set time limit after having used the road to avoid getting fined.
Fines will begin at £60 if the charge is paid within two weeks of the PCN being issued, rising to £120 after this, and £180 if the fine is paid after a 'charge certificate' has been issued.
The system will begin operation in October 2014 at the Dartford Crossing between Essex and Kent.
However, the proposals have come under harsh criticism from motoring groups. Edmund King, President of the AA, said: "One suspects this is a Trojan horse for use nationally.
"It's an expandable system that could eventually be rolled out on other strategic roads in England."
