Environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth (FoE) has warned that opening up pay-as-you-go motorway lanes will increase congestion rather than reduce it, something that may not sit well with female motorists.

This week transport secretary Ruth Kelly announced that the hard shoulder would be used as an extra lane during peak times on a number of UK motorways following a trial on the M42 near Birmingham.

She claimed that opening up the hard shoulder and reducing speed limits to 50mph had been shown to successfully cut congestion and reduce journey times and said the scheme could soon be rolled out nationwide.

There are also proposals to charge motorists travelling alone in their vehicles to use these extra lanes in a bid to encourage car sharing and reduce the number of vehicles on the road.

But FoE transport campaigner Tony Bosworth has insisted these plans are not the answer to Britain's transport problems and claims transport policy must take a different direction.

"The additional capacity will encourage more traffic, which may lead to more climate-changing pollution," he warned. He added: "Allowing drivers to pay to use one lane will only provide a choice for those who can afford it."

Recent research by Fool.co.uk highlighted female motorists' feelings about environmentally-friendly vehicles, with 40 per cent claiming they would make a statement by choosing a 'green' car.

Find out how to run 'greener' cars in future.

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