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Road charging setback
Page 8
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• The governments road charging plans have been dealt a blow by the discovery that global positioning systems (GPS) can be ''blinded" to avoid detection.
Derek Beevor, MD of Road Tech Computers, says that he has carried out experiments which show GPS activity can be "switched off very easily 'GPS is not a viable option," he warns. "It is too easily disabled and I don't think it will be any use if the government is to base its road charging on it."
Beevors comments come after Treasury Chief Secretary Paul Boateng told a Road Tech seminar that the government was looking at microwave technology or GPS. GPS is the favoured option, according to a Department for Transport spokesman. However, he says no decision has yet been taken, and stresses that the government is aware that people would try to dodge paying.
We are aware that people may want to avoid paying money for using roads once this scheme is in place," he says. "But we will be conscious of this. The final scheme will remove any potential for avoidance, and wont be subject to abuse." It has now been handed over to Customs for further development; he concludes; They will be attuned to potential problems, and will use intelligence and technology to avoid problems."