Drivers who are caught using a hand-held device while driving will now face a 90 fine, up from 60, the transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has said.
Speaking at a road safety conference in London, McLoughlin said it was "unbelievable" that motorists would risk their lives by using their mobile phone to text or browse social networking sites while on the road.
The transport secretary went on to compare driving whilst texting to drink-driving, saying that while both had once been acceptable, times had now changed.
"On occasions in the past, I have used my mobile phone when driving," he said, but added that the idea that "we all do it" is no longer acceptable.
"We want to send a clear message to dangerous drivers: if you continue to show complete disregard for the safety of other road users, we will catch you and we will punish you," McLoughlin said.
While the fine for texting behind the wheel has increased by 50 per cent, the number of points offenders receive on their license remains the same.
This is despite calls from the Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe for the penalty to rise from three points to six.
While motoring organisations welcomed the introduction of heavier penalties, they warned tougher enforcement of the law was also needed, as it is still ignored by many drivers.
Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: "With both texting and hand-held use of mobile phones at the wheel causing more impairment than being at the drink-drive limit or under the influence of cannabis, the police need to target the large number of motorists who continue to flout the law."
