France has announced plans to tax journeys by foreign and domestic lorries on all toll-free motorways and dual-carriageways.

The tax would help fund a new batch of high-speed railway lines and motorways. French transport minister Gilles de Robien believes it could raise euro1billion (£710million) a year towards the cost of transport projects.

The plans would be modelled on those due to be imposed on all long-distance lorry journeys in Germany. A system of fees on non-toll dual-carriageways in France would be especially costly to British haulage firms which have to cross French territory to and from southern Europe.

Geoff Dossetter, external affairs director at the Freight Transport Association (FTA) is not surprised by the plans. He said: 'It seems this is the way of the world. Tolls will be coming into place across Britain from 2006 and there is no reason why the French would be any different.' However, Graham Darsey, operations manager at Fruco takes a slightly different view. He said: 'The hauliers that I have spoken to in France are unaware of these plans. When I mentioned the toll charges to them they were adamant that it would be very difficult for the government to pass legislation,' he continued: 'some of them said they would be willing to strike over it.' With costs expected to rise with the introduction of toll charges, Dick Brighton president of the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) believes there can only be one result. He said: 'The best way for transporting fresh fruit and vegetables is via the road network. In an environmental sense it would be great if we could use the rail networks but it is not possible. And therefore someone is going to have to pay for these added costs. It would be great if the retailer could take a smaller margin, but being realistic I believe that consumers will suffer.' Darsey agrees with the FPC. He said:'Costs are increasing year on year due to the falling exchange rate. If these proposed charges did come in place are costs will rise and we will need to get the money back somehow.' More than two-thirds of the French motorway system is already covered by tolls but de Robien only wants to charge fees on lorries - not cars or coaches.

Similar charges are already imposed in Switzerland and Austria and a system of fees for all long journeys by lorries weighing more than 12 tonnes will be introduce in Germany from August 31. Lorries will have to pay an average of eight pence a kilometre to use any road in Germany, where at present all roads are free of tolls. Dossetter believes that charging must be standardised, otherwise driver's cabins are going to be full of all kinds of kits. He said:' I have a meeting in Brussels on May 22 to discuss a new digital pachograph. This will make charging easier and take up less of the driver's space.' Dossetter maintains these charges are hitting lorries first as hauliers have no alternative. He said:' We must deliver our goods by road so we are an easy group to charge first. In time I see these charges as common place for all road users.'