CHANCELLOR Alistair Darling has backed Manchester's pay-as-you-drive plan - but predicted it is unlikely to be extended nationally in the near future.

He told the M.E.N that Manchester, as a `vibrant city', was leading the way in improving public transport and tackling congestion.

But Mr Darling, who as transport secretary promised a national road pricing scheme within five years, now admits that idea is on the back burner.

Mr Darling's home city of Edinburgh has already rejected congestion charging in a referendum, and the Manchester plan is also controversial.

Trafford Council's Tory leader Susan Williams said congestion charges would be `political suicide' for Labour, but Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester Council, promised the scheme would `deliver economic growth'.

And Mr Darling says the £3bn allocated to public transport improvements in Greater Manchester, along with the congestion charge, will make a huge difference to the city in the long term.

Vibrant

He told the M.E.N: "I was struck by the huge amount of construction when I visited Manchester a few weeks ago, not just at Salford Docks where the new media facility is being built, but also the housing in east Manchester. You have a vibrant city.

"I know the authorities are looking to a congestion charge scheme but they have to decide on the best way of providing it, with a public transport system which is not undermined by people who continue to drive into the city."

Three years ago Mr Darling was pushing for a national road charging system using new satellite technology. At the time he said: "Future generations will curse us if we fail to deal with the problem."

He says he still supports moving to a system of charging by distance and based on how congested a road is, but admits it's a long way off.

He said: "Every country will wish to consider a national congestion scheme to solve a growing problem but, because the technology is not there, never mind the infrastructure, it is nowhere near being introduced.

"It's some time away. It's an ideal but it's in the long term."

Only last week the Commons Transport Committee said there was little appetite for pay-as-you-drive, saying adding that Manchester would not be a pilot for a national scheme.

The Chancellor said that the Greater Manchester plan was similar to that in London, with motorists paying to cross boundaries, and insists it is different to road pricing.

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