BRITAIN’S most expensive toll road serves approximately 50,000 drivers each day, with each potentially paying £9.90 or more.
Situated on one of the UK’s most popular routes, the M6 toll in the Midlands, near Birmingham, is divided into three zones, with motorists required to pay varying fees.
For cars travelling within a single zone, the fee is £6.30, increasing to £8.10 for those driving through two zones.
Vehicles incur the maximum fee of £9.90 for travelling the entire 27-mile route.
The charges don’t end there, as cars towing a trailer must pay £14.20 to use all three zones, while vans and motorhomes are charged £16.80.
But the highest fee is for HGV drivers, who must pay £17.40 to access all three areas.
To pay the fee, motorists can use dedicated toll booths located between junctions T6 and T7 on the northbound route, T4 and T3 on the southbound route, and at the exits of junctions T3, T4, T5, or T6.
First opened in 2003, the M6 toll was designed to lighten traffic congestion on the M6 through the Midlands, with officials claiming the route is quicker than travelling by motorway.
Indeed, statistics suggest it provides an estimated 41% reduction in journey times.
Motorists can also save around 10 to 18 minutes on journeys by using the nearby A5 and A38 roads.
M6 toll officials explain: “We offer quick access to Cannock, Burntwood, Walsall, Tamworth, Lichfield, and Sutton Coldfield.”
“We’re also the fastest route to some of the region’s most popular destinations, such as the NEC, Birmingham Airport, the Belfry, Drayton Manor, the Snowdome, McArthurGlen, and Resorts World.”
Unlike other motorways in the UK, the ownership of the M6 toll is the reason road users have to pay a fee.
The route is privately owned and funded by Midland Expressway Ltd, with no government subsidies supporting the scheme.
This will continue until 2054, with the toll charges used to maintain the road and provide customer support.
This comes as drivers are being warned of overnight closures coming to the M4 that run until early March – with bosses advising those that are planning to travel to allow extra time.
The M4, which runs 189 miles from London to South Wales, terminating at Pont Abraham services in Carmarthenshire, serves around 130,000 drivers a day on average.
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