Motoring Discussion > M6 Toll "a failure" Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Manatee Replies: 20
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 21:17 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Manatee
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25221134

Never use it myself - if I think the M6 is likely to be choc, I'm more likely to use the parallel roads or the other side of the Birmingham box.
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 21:50 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Westpig
When I lived in N.London and regularly went to Scotland (2 or 3 times a year) I'd use it each time, because the cost wasn't great.

If it was once a week or more, I probably wouldn't bother.
Last edited by: Westpig on Mon 9 Dec 13 at 21:50
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 21:52 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - zippy
I use it every time I travel north on the M6 but it is simply because work are paying.
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 22:00 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Westpig
Mate of mine drive's for the Met's 'flying squad'.

When it first opened, they found out the hard way that you have to pre-book police cars..even on blues and twos.

Imagine turning up at near 150mph on blues and twos then all the cars occupants scrabbling around for change...;-)
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 22:11 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Westpig
>> When it first opened, they found out the hard way that you have to pre-book
>> police cars..even on blues and twos.

Edit: I presume that only applies to unmarked ones..I hope so anyway.
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 22:04 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Zero
When I was working up in the north west for 6 months, and the company was paying, I used it all the time.

For personal use, if I am going that way, Yes I use it and pay gladly. I hate the M6 non T.

Edit, manatee is right, coming up the M40, going south and west round Birmingham is just as quick.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 9 Dec 13 at 22:07
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 22:25 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Runfer D'Hills
Depends what value you put on your time. I use/d it when I'm paying or when someone else is if the traffic on the other one is glued or likely to be.

I also tell the guys who report to me to use it if required too. I'd rather they were in front of a customer than staring up exhaust pipes.

I do get it as being prohibitively expensive though if you're just a local commuter but as part of, say, a 200/300 mile + day on the road it's peanuts and quite handy.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Mon 9 Dec 13 at 22:25
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 22:26 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - RattleandSmoke
I have been on it several times Stagecoach use it (Megabus) I guess they hitting any traffic will delay their schedule and cost them money so using the M6 toll makes things more reliable.

I don't think Ferris (the company I went to Spain with) used it but then it made several pickups in the West Midlands so would not have been much point. It did get stuck in a lot of traffic on the M6 which meant we missed our ferry but the end result was only arriving at the hotel an hour later than planned.

I I think the tolls are simply too expensive for the private motorists who doesn't have to be at a certain destination for a certain time.



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New Mon 9 Dec 13 22:30 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Bill Payer
I was a conscientious objector for years, even though I can expense the cost.

I must admit that for the last couple of years I've tended to use it whenever going South, which is usually during the morning rush. My return journeys tend to be mid-afternoon or later in the evening so I rarely use it heading back North.

It can't be described as a complete failure though - those 30-40K per day vehicles would mainly be on M6 if the toll road wasn't there.
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 22:34 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Runfer D'Hills
Loads of cameras on the "old" M6 too. Not that...well, y'know...
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 22:45 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Dulwich Estate
I spend around £450 a year on tolls in France. Wow, that looks a lot written down !

Anyway, living in the South, on the few 3 or 4 occasions I have been that way I haven't hesitated to pay the M6 Toll for hopefully an easier drive.
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 22:51 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - RattleandSmoke
Is it hard to drive through France without using tolls? I noticed the coach company was almost exclusively using the Tolls down as soon as it got to France all the way down to Spain and in fact the route wasn't entirely logical in terms of Geography (Troyes, Montelima!) seemed to go too far East to go west.
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 22:58 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Runfer D'Hills
It's not hard Rats. But it does take quite a lot longer. Depends on your schedule. If you're just pottering and don't mind where you fetch up for the night then avoiding the motorway system is a great way to see the country.

In fact, in your car it'd be fun...
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 23:03 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - legacylad
Stop it...Rats will be heli skiing next. That would take the smile off your face.
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New Mon 9 Dec 13 23:04 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - RattleandSmoke
Was one of the bad things about the coach, was expecting to see a lot of France but really all I saw was concrete roads.

Quite frustrating when I know I am near some lovely places but then as discussed on other threads I hate driving so can put up with concrete. I suppose then the French motorway network is the same as the UK, you just have to pay for it.

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New Tue 10 Dec 13 07:06 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Harleyman
Never used it on principle and because it's too expensive for what you gain. Then again I know central Birmingham quite well (including many of the rat runs) so if the motorways are blocked for any reason I just cut straight through the middle.
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New Tue 10 Dec 13 07:27 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Mike H
>> Is it hard to drive through France without using tolls?

Not hard, just painful. A lot of French companies are too tight to to pay the tolls, so the trucks end up on the A-roads. We once made the mistake of thinking that a non-motorway route looked straighter & quicker but it killed our journey time to the ferry. The French also have a love affair with roundabouts, so bypassing even small towns can involve a seeming endless string of roundabouts.....following the lorries.

If you have a time schedule, stick to the motorways. If you want to see the countryside, keep off the main roads.
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New Tue 10 Dec 13 14:10 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Dutchie
I've done both driving on M/Ways in France and rural roads.If you have the time use non toll roads the cost can add up on toll roads.Horses for courses.
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New Tue 10 Dec 13 22:02 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - PhilW
Not all French Motorways are "tolled". We drive regularly from Calais to South of Brive using mainly motorway. Total tolls for the 500 miles are about 25 euros - about 7 euros from Calais to Abbeville and 17 from just North of Orleans to Vierzon (A10/A71). The 300 km(approx) from Orleans to Brive on A20 are free. Much of A75 is also free (apart from Millau Bridge I think.
I also seem to remember driving from Bordeaux to Spanish border on "motorways" (well, motorway standard dual carriageways) without paying and there are quite a few "voie express" (????) in the west of France which are toll free and motorways in all but name.
It's also worth remembering that French roads are, except around major cities, much quieter than British roads as long a you avoid those horrible busy holiday weekends in August. I don't think that there are anything like the number of commuters in France (Got to live near enough to work to get home for that 2 hr4 course lunch and bottle of wine!!) of course!
AIMHO
A quick Google also brings up these results to avoid tolls (not sure about how good routes are - no doubt others will have opinions!
about-france.com/tourism/med-avoiding-tolls.htm
about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm
Might also be worth looking at
www.viamichelin.co.uk/
which gives the option of "toll-free"
Michelin atlases show which motorways are toll free.
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New Tue 10 Dec 13 12:49 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - Mapmaker
Always use the M1/A50 myself.
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New Tue 10 Dec 13 14:18 
 M6 Toll "a failure" - No FM2R
I always use the M6 Toll when its convenient.

I'm not sure I quite understand why its a failure;

You don't have to use it.
It takes some traffic from the "public" roads.
The toll prices are ok.

I don't know what environmental impact the road itself has had, but the tolls aren't having any at all. I don't really believe that a non-toll road would be environmentally better.

I don't really think that Midland Expressway making bad business decisions makes anything else a disaster.

So, like it or not, a disaster? Can't see it.
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