M6 Toll: Is it a complete failure?

[robinessex]

M6 Toll: Is it a complete failure?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25221134

Never been near it, so can't comment. Now, for the Dartford crossing !!!!!!!

[bodhi]

I use it all the time to get to Birmingham Airport from Stafford, an I personally love it. A fiver to miss all the crap round Birmingham and have a nice empty motorway to play on? Sounds a bargain to me.

[Chicane-UK]

I rarely have to travel up the M6 during busy periods but have used it a fair amount of times. It's always enjoyable as it's always deserted, and who doesn't enjoy the tollboth grand prix?

[Tycho]

When we travel up to visit family then we use it if the M6 is carnage otherwise it is too expensive to justify the price.

[Pistom]

Double the toll and make it speed unrestricted.

[Hub]

A bit pricey but I always use it - get stuck for an hour or two on the M6 or enjoy a deserted motorway. I'm surprised more don't cough up!

[Engineer1]

It cuts round the wrong bit what is needed is a link the other way round Brum, the queues are on the M6 from the M54 down to beyond the M5 link, either closing junctions, more lanes or another motorway is needed.

[ukbabz]

Pistom said:

Double the toll and make it speed unrestricted.

You mean it isn't already...? ;-)

[Graebob]

I've used it loads. Cracking road.

Amuses me that even though people have to pay to use it and there's generally very little traffic, you still get middle lane idiots.

[OnistOssifer]

Pistom said:

make it speed unrestricted.

I thought it already was...

[Dr Interceptor]

I haven't used 'that' bit of the regular M6 since it opened.

[mmm-five]

I worked out that the extra fuel I used in the stop/start traffic on the M6 cost me as much as paying for the toll, so bought a tag to save 50p a trip and use that instead.

If I'm not in a hurry I'll come off the M40, round the bottom of Brum onto the M42 and M5, then back onto the M6.

[SarGara]

I refuse to use it out of principle. I do not in any way want to be associated with supporting the notion of toll motorways and I was shocked to see some posters on here admitting to it if im honest!

[Garlick]

SarGara said:

I refuse to use it out of principle. I do not in any way want to be associated with supporting the notion of toll motorways and I was shocked to see some posters on here admitting to it if im honest!

Really?

Why would you be shocked?

[Dr Interceptor]

SarGara said:

I refuse to use it out of principle. I do not in any way want to be associated with supporting the notion of toll motorways and I was shocked to see some posters on here admitting to it if im honest!

It saves me time, and time is money. If I can have a bit of fun as well, then that's a bonus

[mgtony]

If you've got a deadline or the M6 traffic reports congestion, then it's worth using. Charges for a van are the same of for a HGV, £11. Off-peak charges aren't much cheaper. Late at night or in the early hours, I can't work out who would use it. It's about 25 minutes worth of road, so not really any quicker on it at those times.
I thought the services would be empty on in, people paying to use it to save time, then stopping for a bite to eat. Always busy there.
Coming south, even when the gantry signs are saying M6 long delays or even closed, hardly anyone takes the toll road and continues down the M6.

Prices:

http://www.m6toll.co.uk/pricing/

[geeks]

Used it several times and love it especially for the toll booth GP, even the wife enjoys that bit!

[SarGara]

Garlick said:

Really?

Why would you be shocked?

I just figured a site like this with most viewpoints being pro-motoring would be against the notion of additional taxation (albeit stealth) on our shared passion of driving

[Krikkit]

Beeb article said:

He said its owner, Midland Expressway Limited, faced a dilemma. The road is losing money but the only way it can make more money is to increase fees, most likely resulting in even fewer drivers using it.

And that is why they're going to make an arse of it. Want more people to use it? Make it cheaper. Make it £2 and there'd be 75k people there every day using it. Make it 50p at night.

That said, I've never got stuck on the ordinary Birmingham sections for more than 10 minutes-worth of delay these last few years. The variable speed limits etc have helped imo.

[EvoBarry]

I use it without fail and haven't regretted it yet. Granted its expensive for what it is but I'll happily pay a fiver to relieve stress and anguish by using the M6 through Brum which is frankly a disgraceful mess and has been for years.

And I'm actually quite pleased to see that most people don't want to use it, that leaves it all the more clear and stress free for me!