MOTORING organisations say they will oppose any moves to make North-East drivers pay to use motorways.

Whitehall insiders believe Labour may introduce tolls if it wins a second term.

It follows studies which reveal that road traffic is set to rise by 32 per cent between 1996 and 2010.

Transport Minister Lord Macdonald is expected to resist an early move to tolls if he remains in office but the Government has been careful not to rule them out as a long-term option.

And the debate is expected to intensify when the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions completes a series of studies set up to tackle congestion.

One of the busiest stretches of the A1, near Newcastle, is believed to be one of the roads under consideration for a toll.

If such a scheme were introduced, thousands of shoppers visiting the city, and the MetroCentre at Gateshead, may have to pay.

The RAC Foundation is opposed to tolls because it says motorists already have to pay too much to drive a car.

Spokesman Edmund King said: "Tolls would just be another extra tax on the motorist, who already has to pay high petrol prices, insurance and road tax.

"They would also have a diversion effect, with people leaving the motorways to find alternative routes.

"This would push more traffic on to unsuitable roads and increase congestion and pollution.

"It could also lead to more accidents because motorways are statistically the safest roads."

A ten-year transport plan unveiled by the Government last year showed that putting tolls on the busiest stretches of motorway and trunk roads could reduce congestion by 15 per cent.

But ministers are aware that an attempt to charge tolls or restrict road space could be a vote loser.

Plans to charge drivers for entering urban areas have already been watered down following the backlash against what has been seen as an anti-car agenda.