The first congestion charge in Sussex could be introduced to fund an ambitious new bus scheme.

Councillors will look at road-pricing proposals tomorrow as they seek Government money for a fast and frequent bus service to link coastal towns.

It is thought a congestion charge such as the one operating in London, possibly aimed at commuters driving into Chichester between the hours of 7.30am and 9am, could unlock the cash.

The Government's Transport Innovation Funding (TIF) is only available if an investigation into such initiatives is conducted. The AA said drivers would be "up in arms" at the prospect of paying tolls to use the roads.

Councillor Tex Pemberton, cabinet member for highways and transport, said road pricing was "a tool in our tool box that could be used if it became necessary to do so".

He said: "There are no pre-conceived ideas about what any such scheme would look like and so we would start investigations with a blank sheet of paper.

"However, the Government is steadily moving towards a national road pricing scheme being introduced within the next ten years and an investigation of this nature could put us ahead of the game."

If the council was given the Government money, new Coastal Expressway buses would replace the 700 service, running between Brighton and Portsmouth.

The plan would build on an agreement recently signed with bus operator Stagecoach and all local authorities between Brighton and Portsmouth.

Key features would include priority routes at junctions and traffic lights, as well as electronic timetables.

Paul Watters, head of road and transport policy at AA motoring trust, said:

"There's the risk that people will start saying, 'Aren't I paying already through my motoring tax and fuel duty to use the roads?'

"They will be up in arms I expect.

"Public transport has always been poorly funded. The question is whether this is a fair way of solving that."

A meeting to discuss the Government's suggestions on road pricing will be discussed by the council's strategic environmental services select committee tomorrow.