M6 Toll road ‘could open for free’ to ease congestion

The UK’s underused M6 toll road could be opened free to drivers stuck in congested traffic on the M6, it has been revealed. Toll road operators Midland Expressway have reportedly offered to clear the path to help relieve traffic jams on the M6 if the Government releases it from its commitment to part-finance the M54 link road. The company, a subsidiary of Australian company Macquarie Atlas Roads, has debts of £1.03 billion, which mature in 2015, and as part of its 50-year concession agreement would have to
June 27, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
The UK’s underused 803 M6 Toll road could be opened free to drivers stuck in congested traffic on the M6, it has been revealed.

Toll road operators Midland Expressway have reportedly offered to clear the path to help relieve traffic jams on the M6 if the Government releases it from its commitment to part-finance the M54 link road.

The company, a subsidiary of Australian company 802 Macquarie Atlas Roads, has debts of £1.03 billion, which mature in 2015, and as part of its 50-year concession agreement would have to pay more than £100 million towards the costs of the M54 link road if the Government decides to proceed with it.

Midland Expressway has asked for funding to be scrapped in return for allowing cars and lorries stuck in tailbacks on the M6 to re-route to the 27-mile toll motorway.

Traffic numbers have fallen from a peak of 55,000 a day in 2006, to a daily average of 34,310 in January to March this year.
Charging, Tolling & RUC

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • TomTom: Congestion costs on UK businesses increase by £148m
    December 14, 2017
    UK Congestion is costing businesses £915m ($1,229m) a year in lost productivity, according to the latest figures revealed by TomTom’s (TT’s) Traffic Index. Findings showed this figure is an increase of £148m ($198m) from last year’s £767m ($1,030m).
    Read More
  • Asecap debates the future of tolling
    August 23, 2016
    Colin Sowman reports form Asecap’s Study & Information Days event in Madrid. At Asecap’s (the Association of European Toll Road Operators) recent Study and Information Days event there was no doubt about the subject at the top of the agenda: the European Union Directive 23/2014/EU. This will introduce fundamental changes to the concession model under which Asecap members operate more than 50,000km of tolled highways and, in response, it has compiled a report entitled Proposal for a Sustainable Concession Mo
    Read More
  • EBRD supports extension of Romanian motorway network and trans-European links
    June 22, 2016
    The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting the construction of new sections of the D4 highway and the R7 expressway in the Slovak Republic with debt facilities of up to US$159 million (€150 million). The funds are part of a larger package totaling US$987 million (€875 million) provided to the concessionaire Zero Bypass under a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme. Other participants include the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Slovak Investment Holding, Instituto de
    Read More
  • Government blitz on “disruptive roadworks” causing traffic jams in UK
    January 17, 2024
    Consultation may increase fines for companies whose street works overrun
    Read More

Highlighted Content