Several newspapers reported that an announcement is expected at the Conservative Party's annual conference that gets under way in Manchester this weekend.

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The move has been welcomed by motoring groups, but there has been backlash from walking and cycling organisations who said the government should be focused on promoting public transport.

The so-called "plan for motorists" comes in the wake of the Tory's unexpected win in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election, which saw a backlash against Labour policy towards drivers.

The expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) by London mayor Sadiq Khan was blamed for the failure of the opposition to take Boris Johnson's former seat.

It led to a commitment by Mr Sunak to tackle "anti-motorist policies".

Alongside plans to curb the power of councils to introduce new 20mph zones on main roads, Mr Sunak is also expected to announce limits on councils' abilities to levy fines from traffic cameras and restrictions on enforcing box junction infringements.

A cap on the number of hours a day that cars are banned from bus lanes could also be introduced.

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In a joint statement, the heads of several walking and cycling organisations, including British Cycling, Cycling UK and Ramblers, said: "When ministers could be promoting public transport, cycling and walking as cheap sustainable options in a cost of living and climate crisis, they're entrenching congestion and reliance on driving for short, local journeys.

"When the government could respect people's freedom to choose how they travel, it's removing the alternatives.

"This is a plan that looks no further than one way of travelling and will make the roads worse for those occasions when people do need to drive."

The Department for Transport described reports outlining Mr Sunak's plans as "speculation", while Downing Street declined to comment.

It is gearing up to be a key battleground in the run up to the next election, with Wales' Labour-led government coming under fire over the rollout of a 20mph speed limit to nearly all residential roads.

Wales also scrapped all major road building projects due to environmental concerns.

'An attack on motorists'

On Thursday, Mr Sunak addressed the expansion of 20mph zones in Wales, telling ITV Cymru Wales: "I think imposing a blanket 20 mile-an-hour speed limit on areas is absolutely not right. It doesn't reflect people's priorities.

"People are dependent on their cars for their day-to-day journeys and these kind of blanket bans aren't the right, proportionate approach.

"But also it comes on top of this other policy not to build any new roads as well.

"You take these things together, it seems like an attack on motorists and that's rightly received the opposition that it deserves."

The prime minister was pulled up on his use of the term "blanket", as only residential roads are affected by the policy, with local councils given the power to choose to keep some roads at 30mph.

The Welsh government says the change will save lives, make communities safer and save the NHS in Wales £92m a year.

But Mr Sunak pointed to the local opposition to the policy in Wales and to the controversy over the London ULEZ charge, as he claimed these "aren't the right values of the British people".

It comes after Mr Sunak announced a watering down of net zero policies, including delaying the ban on new petrol and diesel cars by five years.

Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester during local media rounds on Thursday, he argued prioritising driving was the best policy, as "the vast majority" of journeys made are in cars.

However Louise Haigh, the shadow transport secretary. said: "Rishi Sunak desperately poses as the 'friend of motorists' but he cannot hide from 13 years of Tory failure which has hammered drivers.

"Petrol prices have soared, insurance costs rocketed and our roads are in a shocking state."