This section is no longer in use, please click on the links below to view news and sport from:
Scrap toll charges, say campaigners
Jan 7 2005
Campaigners today called for charges on Britain's only toll motorway to be scrapped after traffic figures for December showed a decline in the number of vehicles using the road.
Operator Midland Expressway Ltd reported that average traffic on the 27-mile M6 Toll totalled 45,548 per day last month.
The National Alliance Against Tolls said this represented the fourth consecutive monthly decline in vehicles using the route on a daily basis, down from 55,362 in August.
A spokesman for the organisation said a toll road would never reach its full economic potential and called on the Government to scrap charges.
He said: "Most drivers will avoid a toll if they can.
"It is not good for the country when vehicles, including heavy lorries, choose to go on less suitable roads.
"The Government should follow the example of the Scottish Parliament with the Skye Bridge and scrap all tolls."
The spokesman said his comments came ahead of a House of Commons Transport Committee hearing on January 12 in which the possible introduction of more toll roads would be discussed.
Tom Fanning, managing director of MEL, said traffic figures always showed seasonal fluctuations.
He said: "The public has supported a very successful first year for the M6 Toll during which it carried more than 16 million vehicles.
"Drivers now have a choice and each day thousands of them actively choose to use this road rather than the M6.
"Traffic figures for all roads are seasonal so you will see fluctuations."
Mr Fanning said that the average daily traffic for December 2004 was 32.1% more than the period December 14-31, 2003 when the road was fully open.
The M6 Toll links Junction 4 of the existing M6 at Coleshill, Warwickshire, with Junction 11 near Cannock, Staffordshire.
