View Poll Results: M6 Toll Road
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M6 Toll Road
12-08-2003, 11:03 PM
#1
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M6 Toll Road
Anything that bypasses Birmingham has got to be a good thing ...... right 
Anyone on here going to use it? I know I certainly will.
Anyone object to it?
First toll motorway opens
"Britain's first toll motorway is being opened by the Transport Secretary Alistair Darling.
The 27-mile M6 Toll's operator, Midland Expressway Ltd, has decided to phase in the opening of the motorway over five days in an attempt to ensure the safety of motorists.
Access to the road, formerly known as the Birmingham Northern Relief Road and billed as a free-flowing alternative to the existing M6, will initially be restricted to motorists joining the route from Lichfield, Tamworth, Sutton Coldfield, Brownhills and Cannock.
MEL hopes it will save motorists about 45 minutes on an average journey by avoiding the heavily-congested section of the M6 north of Birmingham.
"The first vehicles will join the M6 Toll from local side roads as part of a phased opening process agreed between MEL, the Highways Agency and Central Motorway Police Group," an MEL spokesman said.
"The opening process has been designed to limit traffic at opening, with safety the major priority."
MEL has been granted a 50-year concession to operate and maintain the M6 Toll, which will link junctions 4 and 11 of the M6.
The firm announced plans in May to levy a charge of
Anyone on here going to use it? I know I certainly will.
Anyone object to it?
First toll motorway opens
"Britain's first toll motorway is being opened by the Transport Secretary Alistair Darling.
The 27-mile M6 Toll's operator, Midland Expressway Ltd, has decided to phase in the opening of the motorway over five days in an attempt to ensure the safety of motorists.
Access to the road, formerly known as the Birmingham Northern Relief Road and billed as a free-flowing alternative to the existing M6, will initially be restricted to motorists joining the route from Lichfield, Tamworth, Sutton Coldfield, Brownhills and Cannock.
MEL hopes it will save motorists about 45 minutes on an average journey by avoiding the heavily-congested section of the M6 north of Birmingham.
"The first vehicles will join the M6 Toll from local side roads as part of a phased opening process agreed between MEL, the Highways Agency and Central Motorway Police Group," an MEL spokesman said.
"The opening process has been designed to limit traffic at opening, with safety the major priority."
MEL has been granted a 50-year concession to operate and maintain the M6 Toll, which will link junctions 4 and 11 of the M6.
The firm announced plans in May to levy a charge of
12-08-2003, 11:13 PM
#2
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I pay enough to run my car on the road 
Since our public transport system is such a joke, any improvement to the road system should be seen as a blessing not just another way to make money from motorists.
Since our public transport system is such a joke, any improvement to the road system should be seen as a blessing not just another way to make money from motorists.
12-08-2003, 11:29 PM
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Having spent, up until recently, 2 years travelling to and from Liverpool this is a god send i could well have done with at the time.
That stretch of M6 along used to add well over an hour to my journey.
Well worth the
That stretch of M6 along used to add well over an hour to my journey.
Well worth the
12-08-2003, 11:29 PM
#6
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Originally posted by euan
If I was using a private toll road, I would expect the operators to be allowed to set their own, more appropriate, variable speed limit.
If I was using a private toll road, I would expect the operators to be allowed to set their own, more appropriate, variable speed limit.
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12-09-2003, 12:15 AM
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Having had to endure a weekly hack up to Manchester most Friday nights for longer than I care to remember (although happily I'm no longer having to do so now), I'd have been prepared to pay a couple of quid to avoid having to sit in traffic around Spaghetti Junction and then at Rayhall Interchange, where the M5 joins the M6.
Rather worryingly though, the government has granted complete autonomy to MEL to set the level of toll. I read a while back that a government spokesman had, grudgingly and after much questioning, had to concede that it could do nothing whatsoever if the operator decided to hike tolls up to astronomical levels.
Apparently, even the operator couldn't believe that it was not required to give the government some say in setting toll levels - they run a lot of these private roads around the world and it is extremely unusual not to be subject to some sort of capping or indexing mechanism to control toll charges.
Rather worryingly though, the government has granted complete autonomy to MEL to set the level of toll. I read a while back that a government spokesman had, grudgingly and after much questioning, had to concede that it could do nothing whatsoever if the operator decided to hike tolls up to astronomical levels.
Apparently, even the operator couldn't believe that it was not required to give the government some say in setting toll levels - they run a lot of these private roads around the world and it is extremely unusual not to be subject to some sort of capping or indexing mechanism to control toll charges.
12-09-2003, 12:20 AM
#9
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Originally posted by Mark Turner
Rather worryingly though, the government has granted complete autonomy to MEL to set the level of toll. I read a while back that a government spokesman had, grudgingly and after much questioning, had to concede that it could do nothing whatsoever if the operator decided to hike tolls up to astronomical levels.
Rather worryingly though, the government has granted complete autonomy to MEL to set the level of toll. I read a while back that a government spokesman had, grudgingly and after much questioning, had to concede that it could do nothing whatsoever if the operator decided to hike tolls up to astronomical levels.
12-09-2003, 12:49 AM
#10
I agree the new road was desperately needed. If that's the only way we can get some investment, so be it.
I also agree that we are already being pimped dry taxwise for no real return, notsomuch as a thank you.
I therefore voted for the spam as a compromise.
It is apparent that most people vote for spam as a compromise.
I also agree that we are already being pimped dry taxwise for no real return, notsomuch as a thank you.
I therefore voted for the spam as a compromise.
It is apparent that most people vote for spam as a compromise.