Peter Hain said tolled roads could offer motorists more choice

Peter Hain has suggested that the planned M4 relief road around the south of Newport could be tolled.

Mr Hain's comments come on the same day that the UK's first tolled road has opened for business - a 27 mile section of the M6 around Birmingham.

Motorists now have the chance to avoid congestion in the West Midlands by paying �2 to drive along the 27-mile route, formerly known as the Birmingham Northern Relief Road.

Mr Hain said tolled roads such as this one could offer motorists more choice and suggested the planned M4 relief road as a prime candidate - a project he was involved in planning during his time as a Welsh Office Minister in 1998.

In my view it's only a matter of time before we toll the whole of the M4 Dr Anthony Beresford

Motorists, he said, would be given the choice of going through the Brynglas tunnels at 40mph or paying around �2 to travel on the relief road.

Junior Transport Minister Kim Howells said tolls could be a way of trying to stop people from using the roads.

"No matter what governments do to try and deter people from using the motorways they're becoming more and more congested," he said.

He added that efforts were being made to rebuild the railway system but other alternatives had to be found.

"We need to stop people from using the roads and tolling certainly is going to be a way of stopping them I'm sure."

Dr Anthony Beresford is an expert on road transport and logistics from Cardiff Business School.

He said he supported the idea of implementing a toll road around the Brynglas Tunnels in Newport, but believed tolling should be considered for other parts of Wales.

"The M4 would not be difficult to toll as a totality, including the Severn crossing of course," he said.

"We could do segments tolled and segments untolled, but in my view it's only a matter of time before we toll the whole of the M4," he added.

The Transport Minister, Andrew Davies, said the matter had not been raised with him.

In a statement he said: " Although naturally I am interested in his views, this is a devolved matter and the Welsh Assembly Government will consider this and other proposals in the context of our determination to provide and integrated and uncongested transport network for Wales."