The government has announced plans to extend a pilot scheme that has seen the hard shoulder of the M42 near Birmingham used as an additional lane.

It is hoped that rolling out the scheme to 800 kilometres of motorway across Britain will help to cut congestion.The proposals were part of a package of measures unveiled today by the transport secretary, Ruth Kelly.

Ms Kelly also said local authorities would receive £200 million to fund local congestion-busting schemes."Experience shows that new road capacity has to be properly managed if it is not to simply fill up," the secretary of state said. "There is a compelling argument for car-share or charged lanes, which have been used for some time in the US. "In order to get maximum benefit, access to car-share lanes is limited to vehicles carrying passengers, or single drivers willing to pay a toll," she added.Ms Kelly said similar schemes could be introduced in Britain.

Cutting congestion is part of the government's climate change target, but it is also essential for the economy.