M6 on a Saturday lunchtime - worth using the M6 Toll?

[JulianHJ]

I'm off with Mrs HJ to the Lake District tomorrow, leaving the south coast at about 9AM, and expecting to reach Brum around lunchtime (M23>M25>M40>M6). Is the M6 fairly reasonable around that time, or is it worth considering the toll road?

[jas xjr]

No need to use the toll road at that time.

[MikeGTi]

You should be fine outside of rush hour. Unless there's been an accident or some other form of dumbfkery.

[eldar]

Should be fine. Taking J36 or 40?

[Jimmyarm]

Its worth it just to do the old 'what speed can I get to once I hit the NSL sign from a standing start at the booth'.

110mph is my personal best (when it was closed off for speed testing the tarmac obviously).

[JulianHJ]

eldar said:

Should be fine. Taking J36 or 40?

We're planning on J36, for the scenery. Google has that route as a minute longer and 13 miles shorter as well (to Keswick).

[Sheets Tabuer]

Toll road used to be fun before the police started to go on it, I heard a lotus was immense fun

Anyhow on a saturday the M6 should be reasonably clear.

[moleamol]

IME it's always worth using the toll. If for no other reason than to avoid Birmingham.

[JulianHJ]

Jimmyarm said:

Its worth it just to do the old 'what speed can I get to once I hit the NSL sign from a standing start at the booth'.

110mph is my personal best (when it was closed off for speed testing the tarmac obviously).

A fine thought, however I'm certain that I'd be unlucky enough to get caught. Besides that, I seriously doubt a fully laden Focus would actually hit a true 110mph...

[JulianHJ]

moleamol said:

IME it's always worth using the toll. If for no other reason than to avoid Birmingham.

Hehehe!

Thanks all for the replies.

[eldar]

JulianHJ said:

We're planning on J36, for the scenery. Google has that route as a minute longer and 13 miles shorter as well (to Keswick).

Good move, quieter, better scenery and some interesting shortcuts. The weather forecast isn't good, so you might not see much

[Jimmyarm]

JulianHJ said:

A fine thought, however I'm certain that I'd be unlucky enough to get caught. Besides that, I seriously doubt a fully laden Focus would actually hit a true 110mph...

I was travelling up through there every other weekend for about 8 months last year and never saw a plod

It's a good way to break up the journey when you do it repeatedly. First time I was in a 1l corsa, record was done in a DB7 with various attemps in other cars in between

[Ilikebeaver]

We love the lakes. Have fun up there.
Go on the toll. It's worth it at most times, and a good way to start your holiday off right

[Wacky Racer]

Don't waste your hard earned cash.

[Ilikebeaver]

It's only a fiver surley?

[dowahdiddyman]

Ilikebeaver said:

It's only a fiver surley?

Don`t matter if it`s only a fiver, it`s still wrong, it`s what we pay our rfl for.

[Man from UNCLE]

dowahdiddyman said:

Don`t matter if it`s only a fiver, it`s still wrong, it`s what we pay our rfl for.

We don't pay rfl, but I agree with you that it's wrong & personally I'd get out & walk rather than use it.

Do know what I like about using the M6? The fact that thousands of motorists would rather sit in a queue of traffic than pay the toll, I've never lost more than about 20 minutes due to heavy traffic, unless there's been an accident or closure, but still people would rather sit there than pay the toll. I think that's brilliant & it's the reason we wont have any more toll motorways for quite a while to come.

[prg1]

I always use the toll road.
Much like yourself it is only a couple of times a year.

You'll kick yourself if there is a traffic jam on the m6 and you do not use it.
Lets be honest £5 now is less than 4 litres of petrol.
When you cost it into a long journey its probably worth it.

[Sam.F]

Jimmyarm said:

I was travelling up through there every other weekend for about 8 months last year and never saw a plod

They're usually in unmarked S60/5 Series/etc along there... Though I would note also that I've never seen them on the weekend, only during the week.

[JulianHJ]

Well, we saved the cash and stayed on the M6 without any drama. We kept an eye on the realtime traffic reports, which helped with the decision.

On a side note, we saw a Veyron on the M6 near the Manchester turn off. It was lovely - black with chrome highlights.

As for J36, we took that route and whilst busy and wet, made a nice change of pace.

Cheers all!