Drivers face raft of new road charges; Switch to electric cars may see €4bn loss from petrol, diesel taxes

Motorists are facing a whole new set of road charges to make up for the loss of revenue from taxes on petrol and diesel, as the gradual shift towards electric vehicles takes place.

However, the Government is being warned it could create another Irish Water-style disaster if it fails to handle the introduction of any new charging regime properly.

Among the options under consideration is distance pricing that would charge by the kilometre driven, as well as congestion charges for the busiest routes, each using number plate recognition technology or in-car units to track and record motorists as they drive.