'Scrap M6 toll charges'

July 14, 2008

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THE M6 toll road in the West Midlands should be free for motorists because it's `virtually empty', a pressure group says.

The National Alliance Against Tolls wants the road to be taken under public control after the road's owners, Midland Expressway, revealed a 13 per cent drop in traffic in the first quarter of this year.

An alliance spokesman said: "The West Midlands continues to suffer congestion while there is this virtually empty motorway."

The toll costs £2.50 for motorcyclists, £4.50 for cars and £9 for large HGVs during the day.

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ace, manchester (14/07/2008 at 11:59)

Do the same on the buslanes (scrap them)empty most days

Black Flag (14/07/2008 at 12:05)

The smart thing to do to balance out the situation would be to introduce a toll on the M6 too.

In fact, privatising the operation of the whole motorway network would bring in a huge amount of public revenue and balance out road use nicely.

mancmanomyst, Wythenshawe (14/07/2008 at 12:21)

I'm a motorist - I feel the pain as much as anyone with the never ending raids on my bank account to pay the various taxes and costs associated with running my car.

I feel for these people but their they come up with a load of rubbish sometimes.

A private company own and built the toll road - the government dont own it and buying it would be a waste of our money.

You have a choice - take the M6 or take the toll road. Drivers on the M6 benefit from the toll as those willing to pay would otherwise be clogging up the M6.

The government has far more important things to spend its money on than buying up private roads

Rugbygirl, Urmston (14/07/2008 at 12:39)

More would use it if it were cheaper - it would pay for itself far quicker then. Thats the trouble with greed - you outprice yourself!

poc (14/07/2008 at 12:47)

"THE M6 toll road in the West Midlands should be free for motorists because it's `virtually empty'"

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the whole point?

Admittedly I stopped using it when the price went up to £4.50 but if they were to lower the price I'd be much happier paying £3 to travel on a virtually free road than to use the alternative M6 route.

From Oldham (14/07/2008 at 13:38)

I gladly pay the £4.50 for the toll road if I am heading that way, the road is smooth and not bumper to bumper with lorries - it makes the drive round Birmingham much easier. If the pressure group is going to try and steal it from it's owners why not make it just for cars & bikes and send the HGV's and caravans etc round the other way.

Jay B, oldham (14/07/2008 at 14:13)

Manchester city council please take note of this.
People do choose not to pay. but in our case it'll be businesses moving elsewhere instead of footing bills for a con charge.
Manchester may become `virtually empty' too!

alvinlwh (14/07/2008 at 14:31)

Personally, I have no problem with the M6 toll as there is a free alternative. But the Manchester CONcharge, is there an alternative?

Black Flag (14/07/2008 at 15:09)

Rugbygirl: "More would use it if it were cheaper - it would pay for itself far quicker then. Thats the trouble with greed - you outprice yourself!"

I'm sure the owners will have done a bit of research to calculate the optimum price to charge in order to get the maximum return. If the evidence was that they would get more revenue by charging less, they would be doing it.

ace, manchester (14/07/2008 at 15:26)

Like everything that our government brings in.It starts off with its the best thing that will benefit us all and it will be affordable for the first year then they get greedy and keep pumping the price up until it hurts the public.the same will go to the congestion charge they will tell everybody about all the benefits and how cheap it will be but once its up and running they fleece you .the same went for the trains and the buses we were told that we would get better services but they didnt tell us how many services people would loose to pay for it..its time we started to tell governments what we "DEMAND" not want.

Caped Crusader, Gotham City (14/07/2008 at 16:52)

At £3 it was a bargain and even worth it at £4. But £4.50 is just a shade too much and I rarely use it these days.

However, there's a lesson here for CON charge supporters - the price will go up until they force people off the road and onto the 3 extra buses they're providing or the always broken down Metrolink.

Jay B, oldham (14/07/2008 at 17:04)

"In fact, privatising the operation of the whole motorway network would bring in a huge amount of public revenue and balance out road use nicely." what are you going on about blackflag??

Yes a huge amount of public revenue, to line the pockets of our already bent and corrupt government. they never seem give it back to us!
And increases in prices of all items you use day in day out. just look at what fuel increases have done to your weekly shop and the current economic problems.

The only thing that would do is balance out the amount of stupid people willing to work to be taxed on the majority of it and people who'll just claim benefits and scrounge off the state.

mancmanomyst, Wythenshawe (14/07/2008 at 17:21)

ace
"Like everything that our government brings in."

Ace - the M6 Toll road was built by a private company. The Highways Agency didnt build it!

"they get greedy and keep pumping the price up until it hurts the public"

As a private company they can set whatever price they like. You have an alternative route!!!

It benefits the public in 3 ways:
1. it brings jobs
2. It reduces congestion for those of us who don't want to pay and use the M6
3. It gives motorists a first class alternative route that saves time

Totally with you on the buses and trains - deregulation has had a terrible effect on our transport because these bus companies are answerable to shareholders who like nice big dividends instead of reinvesting ALL the money they make BUT that has absolutely nothing to do with a private road in the midlands that benefits lots of people

bluetony (14/07/2008 at 18:39)

Black Flag
14/07/2008 at 12:05 wrote:

"The smart thing to do to balance out the situation would be to introduce a toll on the M6 too.

In fact, privatising the operation of the whole motorway network would bring in a huge amount of public revenue and balance out road use nicely."

Great idea Black Flag. Then we can all sit back and watch the price of everything in the shops, including food, rocket even higher as the hauliers pass on the additional cost. You muppet.

MC Spanner (14/07/2008 at 18:59)

"I'm sure the owners will have done a bit of research to calculate the optimum price to charge in order to get the maximum return. If the evidence was that they would get more revenue by charging less, they would be doing it."

Now look at this from the Chief Exec of MIG who own MEL who own the M6 Toll.

Disappointing traffic figures for Summer 2005 led to a price rise in June and for MIG Chief Executive Steve Allen to comment in the Australian newspaper The Age: "What we need is to slow down the M6"

MEL are losing vast amounts of money on this project and are putting up the tolls to try and recoup some. I would hazard a guess that if the lighter traffic continues they will either

A. Put MEL into administration to save them further losses

B. Find a way of blocking the M6 (Fuel Protest anyone?)

Take note for the CON charge when they don't raise the cash

sievester, Droylsden (14/07/2008 at 19:36)

We have stopped using the toll road when going back down south, especially when we are towing our trailer. It costs nearly £10. We now time our journey not to hit the m6/m5 junction at rush hours. Manchester will be deserted by business if congestion charge as it is propsed comes in.

A. Coates, manchester (14/07/2008 at 22:58)

ace, you deluded fool. the government DO NOT OWN the M6 Toll motorway. it's privately owned which the government have no say in what they charge motorists.

Jay B, oldham (15/07/2008 at 08:41)

but governments dont listen. they have their own personal agendas and ignore the people who actually put them where they are now.
this government needs to be overthrown. either that or we go into financial meltdown soon. i like many others just cannot take much more of this brown regime

Black Flag (15/07/2008 at 10:34)

Jay B: "a huge amount of public revenue, to line the pockets of our already bent and corrupt government."

Which is down to the fact that the electorate keep giving the job to inept and corrupt politicians. That doesn't alter the fact that there will always be a need for some level of taxation. Privatising the operation of motorways would create a huge amount of revenue which could be used to reduce other taxes, such as income tax.

And, of course, by privatising the operation of the motorways, it would get them out of the hands of the government which, as you said, is bent and corrupt.

alvinlwh (16/07/2008 at 09:33)

I can just see this headline in 20 years time:

"Scrap the Manchester CONcharge as the city is 'virtually empty' because of all the businesses moving out and everyone left there out of a job"

mancmanomyst, Wythenshawe (16/07/2008 at 11:26)

Black Flag, hasn't privatisation done enough damage to this country as it is?

We pay road tax for the right to drive on the public highway. If the motorways were privatised then road tax should be scrapped.

UK haulliers would go bust - the dodgy foreign ones with over-worked drivers and dangerous vehicles would be the only ones to survive and there's enough of them as there is, thank you!

mancmanomyst, Wythenshawe (16/07/2008 at 11:32)

Jay B, oldham
"but governments dont listen. they have their own personal agendas and ignore the people who actually put them where they are now."

You criticise Labour for U-Turns in one post then you say they dont listen?

You can't have it both ways!!!

Personally I don't think party politics works because MPs become too concerned with staying in power and arguing with either other rather than running the country astutely.

If it was upto me we would have regional senates and no partys. Decisions would be made based on the representatives we chose and not someone toeing the party line to keep their job.

But thats never going to happen, is it!

Black Flag (16/07/2008 at 12:07)

mancmanomyst, I think, in the main, privatisation is a beneficial thing, as it provides scope for competition and reduces political interference. The only time is seems doomed to fail is when a natural monopoly, such as the national grid or the railway lines, is sold off in perpetuity.

If the operation of the motorways was privatised, I wouldn't have a problem with road tax being scrapped. I would probably even go along with freezing fuel duty too.

I think the opposite of what you say about hauliers is true. The point that is often made is that continental hauliers can fill up with cheap fuel on the continent and come over to work. That argument isn't particularly sound, as British hauliers could do the same, but what can't be denied is that, if everybody had to pay to use the motorways, the playing field would be completely level.

I agree with your comments about party politics. The only way I can see of getting round that is to introduce more jury type systems into politics. If representatives are chosen at random, they've got no reason to follow a party line or please a small section of the electorate to win their votes.

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