A new European Union commissioned study could see a hike in levies on fuel for British drivers as well as the introduction of road pricing across the UK. The 99-page document has been slammed by British motoring organisations for being an attack on UK sovereignty.

Edmund King, president of the AA, said that it was entirely inappropriate that the EU was telling UK drivers that they may have to part with more cash at a time when they were trying to deal with the effects of a recession. He added that British drivers were already paying some of the highest taxes on fuel in the whole of Europe and had already voted against any sort of road pricing.

AEA, the climate change consultants who conducted the report for the EU, claim that an ambitious policy is needed to reverse the damage being done by transport to the environment. Researcher Sujith Kollamthodi said transport is currently one of the producers of greenhouse gasses with the fastest growing trajectories.

The report claims that a combination of non-technical and technical solutions are needed to effectively combat the problem. Along with electric vehicles, development of biofuels and improvements in vehicle efficiency; the report claims there is a need for heavier fuel taxing and the introduction of road pricing.

The Association of British Drivers said such solutions would do little more than penalise those who need a car in order to get to work because they live in remote areas of the country. The Department for Transport confirmed that, at present, it has no plans to introduce a system of road pricing.