Edinburgh and Dublin are interested in running similar schemes

Derek Turner described the charge as a success and said that dozens of cities in the UK and abroad now want to follow London's lead.

Drivers began paying �5 to enter central London two months ago and since its introduction there has been a steady drop in traffic.

At a conference on Tuesday representatives from councils around the UK heard the man behind the scheme give his verdict.

Mr Turner said traffic speeds had increased and there had been a remarkable improvement in the bus service.

The only downside, he said, was that because fewer people were driving, there was less money than expected coming in for public transport.

Mr Turner said he has been approached by officials from other large cities, including Edinburgh, Dublin, Milan and New York, who are interested in running similar schemes.