Skip to main content
Contact Us

Coronavirus – Update

March 25, 2020
  • Share article:

Whilst these are unusual times to say the least, the M6toll remains open.

We are monitoring the situation very closely, and I would like to reassure everyone that the well-being of our customers and employees remains our top priority.

Keeping our customers and employees safe

We want to do everything possible to ensure the safety of our customers and employees, whilst continuing to deliver as efficient and smooth running a service as possible.

We continue to follow the UK Government’s advice, and in line with recent guidance have introduced a number of measures to support those who use and rely upon our service. This includes closing of restaurant areas in our motorway service area, more frequent cleaning programmes in all public and operational areas, splitting team shifts and rotas, restricting visitors to operationally critical sites and enabling remote working – all designed to increase the robustness of our 24-7 operation.

Staying in touch and keeping you up to date

As a vital part of the UK’s strategic road network, we work closely with Highways England, the Department for Transport and Central Motorway Police Group.  We always publish any travel advice on our website, Facebook and Twitter pages, so please do follow those for the most Up-to-Date Information.

Pulling together to keep the Midlands Moving

I’m immensely proud of the commitment shown by the 150-strong M6toll team and that of our key supplier partners, as we pull together to ensure our exceptional standards of service and safety remain unaffected.

Wishing you good health, and safe driving.

Best wishes

Andy

 

Andy Cliffe

Chief Executive Officer, Midland Expressway Limited

Back to news

M6toll has ‘grit’ expectations for keeping motorists moving this winter

November 28, 2019
  • Share article:

M6toll is set to flex its six-pack this winter – with a new fleet of gritters armed with almost 5000 tonnes of salt to tackle the worst the weather can bring.

As the UK’s only privately funded motorway (operated by Midland Expressway Ltd) the route is a main artery within the UK’s strategic road network and is deploying a huge amount of resources this winter, determined to help keep the Midlands moving in all weathers.

Of the 150-strong workers based at the HQ near Lichfield, a team of 34 are dedicated to the maintenance and smooth running of the road, working around the clock seven days a week to ensure it’s one of the best kept and best supported roads in the UK.

The team started preparations several months ago to ready itself for any upcoming big freeze to keep the M6toll clear and accessible during the coldest months of the year.

Further preparations for coping with the UK’s ever-changing climate include three regular weather forecasts each day.  The M6toll also has its own CCTV control centre and safety patrol vehicles that quickly come to the rescue of any broken-down vehicles, with an average response time of just 13 minutes.

James Hodson, Director of Motorway Operations at Midland Expressway Limited, said: “With the preparations and dedicated resources we have in place, we’re doing everything we can to be ready for whatever the weather brings this winter.

“Our salt stores and the capability of our fleet is critical to keeping all 27 miles of the road clear and free-flowing.”

“With the scale of operation and the dedicated teams we have in place, drivers can rest assured that the M6toll will remain one of the safest and most reliable routes this winter, especially over the all-important festive period.”

In addition to gearing up for winter, the M6toll have also been helping local commuters and HGV Drivers. Hopper, Shuttle and ReturnPass all offer attractive savings to drivers who regularly use the road, with no minimum sign-up period.

For more details on all three options visit:
www.m6toll.co.uk/savers

Alternatively, you can Read Another Seasonal Article Here.

Back to news

M6toll launches road safety campaign – Trucksafe

November 18, 2019
  • Share article:

M6toll launches road safety awareness campaign for HGV drivers in partnership with Central Motorway Police Group

M6toll, operated by Midland Expressway Ltd (MEL), has joined forces with Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) to produce a high impact road safety campaign designed to improve awareness amongst HGV drivers of the five most common offences on UK roads.

An informative video and supporting literature have been created to support HGV drivers in raising awareness of some of the main offences committed on UK motorways, and to help them avoid being involved in an incident and the consequences of large fines or imprisonment.

The five areas highlighted by the campaign are:

  • Tailgating
  • Using a mobile phone or tablet while driving
  • Stopping or reversing on a motorway
  • Parking on the hard shoulder or emergency refuge areas
  • Correct use of mirrors

Superintendent Dave Twyford, Head of CMPG, said: “Britain’s roads and motorways are some of the most heavily used and monitored across Europe. We have cameras and patrols as well as marked and unmarked police vehicles across the country and as a result, we see a number of very avoidable incidents and accidents on UK motorways every day.

“By partnering with the M6toll to produce the campaign video and supporting literature, we hope we can make a significant impact in educating drivers on the issues to be aware of, and improve safety across our road network.”

James Hodson, Motorway Operations Director at Midland Expressway Limited, added: “Safety and security on the M6toll is a key priority, and we are pleased to have been able to partner with CMPG to help raise awareness of the most common offences witnessed on the M6toll and the rest of the UK’s road network in an attempt to keep all road users safe.

“We sincerely hope that the campaign will go a long way towards reducing avoidable incidents.”

Please see French & German subtitled versions of the video

We’ve made it easy for you to share this information with your colleagues, simply download the Trucksafe poster and leaflet

 

 

Back to news

M6toll 15 faces case study – Customer support

October 31, 2019
  • Share article:

15 Years of Customer Support

Michelle joined the M6toll 15 years ago in 2003 and is based at head office in the Customer Support team. She started out working on the tolling plazas as a Toll Assistant. After two years she moved to the head office where she joined the Customer Support team.

Over the past few years the team has grown from three to nine in order to speak to increasing numbers of customers using the road and those enquiring about money saving TAG products.

Hi Michelle and thanks for speaking to us. How would you explain your role at the M6toll?

As part of the Customer Support team, I’m one of the first points of contact for customers on the road.

Often customers contact us with a query before or after using the road and we do our best to provide a helpful response. We also set up new electronic TAG accounts, and for customers who use the road regularly we look at their journey and help them to find the best payment options.

My role in the Customer Support team is very similar to working at the tolling plazas. I tend to get asked a lot of the same questions but as I’m based in the office I have more time to talk or respond in detail.

What’s the most common question that people ask you?

One of the most common questions people ask me is where can they get to when using the road.

Many people don’t know that we’re a great option for reaching local areas like Lichfield, Tamworth or Cannock. Drayton Manor & Birmingham Airport are also easy to get to from our road.

I’m also asked where the road starts and ends.

What’s the strangest call you’ve received?

A gentleman called in to say that he had seen an elephant on the road. After checking CCTV we realised it was in fact a life-size elephant made from wood on the back of a truck. The confusion definitely caused a few laughs in the office.

What do you most enjoy about working at the M6toll?

I enjoy the variety of the calls we get; one minute I’ll be setting up an electronic TAG account for a new customer and explaining how the system works, and the next minute I could be supporting our Commercial Accounts team with our much larger accounts. I also enjoy just talking to customers and being able to help them.

What’s one thing everyone should know about the M6toll?

The M6toll is a great road – It’s free flowing and easy to get onto but it’s also a great place to work.

To read another of our 15 faces articles, Click Here.

If you think you would be a great addition to our M6toll team, keep an eye on our vacancies page or follow @m6tollroad on social media to see the latest updates.

Back to news

M6toll celebrates 250million journeys

October 9, 2019
  • Share article:

The UK’s only privately funded motorway is celebrating the 250millionth journey since it opened in 2003.

The M6toll, which stretches for 27 miles north of Birmingham, welcomed the milestone driver at its Weeford Junction plaza, close to Lichfield.

See How We Celebrated 15 Years of the M6toll Here.

Regular M6toll user Rachael Davis, from Worcester, was surprised at the toll booth with the news and presented with a free M6toll TAG.

“When they stopped my vehicle, I thought I had done something wrong,” said Rachael. “I couldn’t believe it when they told me I was the 250millionth driver.
“I use the M6toll most days to get to work and back. It really cuts down on journey time and is so much more reliable and a lot less stressful than the alternative routes.”

Rachael, 45, will be able to use her new TAG for leisure journeys as well as the daily commute to her job as national account manager at Arthur Price in Lichfield, where she has worked for nine years, saving her time and money all year round.

Andy Cliffe, Chief Executive at Midland Expressway Ltd (MEL), operators of the M6toll, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have reached the milestone of 250 million journeys on the M6toll and congratulate Rachael on being our VIP driver.

“Since it opened in 2003, the M6toll has been a driving force in regional economic growth, alleviating congestion and pollution, as well as helping drivers and commercial fleet operators to reach their destination ‘on time, every time’.

“Rush hour traffic can be frustrating and time-consuming. For those travelling through the West Midlands, the quickest way to make a difference for the past 15 years has been to use the M6toll, avoiding the congested M6 motorway and other local routes.”

The M6toll TAG is an electronic pre-paid device giving 5% off the cost of every trip on the motorway. Fitted to the car’s windscreen, the TAG is recognised by the toll booths, enabling vehicles to drive straight through on dedicated TAG lanes.

For more information about money-saving TAG products Visit Here. Alternatively, to read another of our articles, Click Here.

Back to news

M6toll introduces new toll prices

June 12, 2019
  • Share article:

 

M6toll introduces new toll prices, an additional off-peak rate and tailored pricing plans for frequent users

Midland Expressway Limited (MEL), operator of the M6toll, has today (Wednesday 12th June) announced new toll prices including an additional off-peak rate, which will come into effect from 00:00hrs on Friday 12th July.

The new pricing structure follows a series of innovative product trials over the past 12 months to introduce a wider range of options for frequent users, which are now being launched to all eligible drivers.

The M6toll was built to move long-distance traffic off the heavily congested M6 through Birmingham and currently welcomes around 50,000 customers every day or 18.2million users a year.  At peak times, up to 55% of trucks and 85% of cars making long-distance journeys through the M6 use the M6toll – traffic which would otherwise be using the M6 and local routes such as the A5, A38 and A446.

The new toll prices announced today include a new off-peak rate for drivers using the road on weekdays between 5am – 7am and 7pm – 11pm. They are designed to keep prices attractive for all road users and will enable on-going investment in the M6toll including further development of innovative products to suit the specific needs of drivers.

As part of its ongoing commitment to support the regional economy, ease local congestion and save travel time for its customers, MEL has encouraged and seen a strong boost in local use. Three new pricing options are being launched today for frequent users, following a successful trial over the past 12 months. Hopper, Shuttle and Return Pass offer attractive discounts to drivers who regularly use the road, with some customers saving over 35%.

Andy Cliffe, chief executive at MEL, said: “The M6toll has been alleviating huge volumes of traffic from the M6 and its surrounding roads for more than 15 years, providing a safer and more reliable route around the Midlands. The M6toll is significantly faster than alternative routes, making planning more accurate for businesses and individuals and boosting overall efficiency.

“We’re committed to making our route stress-free and reliable for all, that’s why we’ve put customer feedback at the heart of our new off-peak price bands and our recent product trials to cap prices and offer attractive savings to local and/or frequent users, ensuring we maximise the positive impact of the M6toll across the Midlands and beyond.

“Since 2014 we’ve seen a 14% increase in trucks using our road – a recent industry study* of HGVs shows that the M6toll is a safer road for travel than the M6 owing to a much lower accident rate, and with better fuel economy due to free-flowing traffic, HGV users also benefit from reduced fuel costs and emissions.

We remain committed to increasing the volume of HGV traffic using the M6toll in preference to the M6 or local roads, and ensure that our incentives for new HGV customers and pricing deals for commercial operators are innovative and attractive.”

New toll prices

From 00:00hrs on Friday 12th July, prices will rise between 10p and 30p for motorbikes and cars, between 10 and 50p for light goods vehicles and between 20p and 50p for heavy goods vehicles, depending on the time of travel.

Tiered pricing

Weekday pricing will change from the current day and night rates to include an additional off-peak discounted rate for drivers travelling on Monday to Friday between 5am – 7am and 7pm – 11pm.

Innovative products

Following a series of product trials over the past 12 months, MEL is launching three new pricing options (Hopper, Shuttle and ReturnPass) which offer some attractive savings to drivers who regularly use the road.

Hopper caps weekly travel to £35 a week based on 10 return trips, which could save drivers over 35% a month.

Shuttle allows commuters to benefit from unlimited local journeys for £20 a week, which would save the average driver over £100 a month based on a commuting week.

For those travelling longer distances, ReturnPass provides a 20% saving on every same-day return journey.

Check out another article on the Latest Changes to our Tolling System Here.

* Microlise Study: M6toll Analysis, May 2019

Back to news

15 faces of the M6toll – Hugo Fitzgerald, commuter

May 1, 2019
  • Share article:

A long distance commute, doesn’t need to take a long time

Dreaming of setting your alarm clock a little later, or getting home that bit earlier to put the kids to bed, walk the dog or simply have some ‘you time’?

Whether you’re on the way to an important meeting or travelling home after a long day at the office, rush hour in the Midlands can be stressful and time consuming – so we’ve done our bit to make it easier for you.

The M6toll could save you around 25 minutes each way at peak travel times. And it doesn’t stop there. Thanks to the TAG – a nifty, pre-paid electronic device – we’re helping you save money, too.

Sound too good to be true?

With a TAG, you can cruise through a dedicated lane at the toll plaza, so you never have to stop to pay. You’ll also get access to an online account where you can track your journeys and print statements, saving you time on expenses, too. You’ll also start saving money with from your first journey with a 5% discount on every trip.

Take a look at our chat with TAG user, Hugo, to hear about the impact it’s had on his long distance commute:

Hi Hugo, thanks for speaking to us. How long have you been using the M6toll for?

Having always worked out of my company’s Birmingham office, about six years ago I became responsible for our Liverpool and Manchester branches, too. I found myself travelling to the North West a lot so I began using the M6toll then.

Why did you first decide to start using the M6toll?

The growing congestion on the M6 was becoming more evident each week. As I needed to make several trips a week, using the M6toll guaranteed me a consistent journey time, meaning that I wouldn’t be letting anyone down or holding up their plans.

How long have you been a TAG user for?

It has been around two years since I first fitted my TAG. I saw them  for sale at Roadchef Norton Canes.

What do you see as the key benefits of having a TAG?

My TAG comes in handy on every single journey. When pulling up to the plazas, I know exactly which lane is mine every time, so I can just drive straight through. My TAG is also set up to take payment from my business account, which means I don’t have to remember to claim my expenditures back. It’s handy to be able to see all my journeys and statements in one place when I log into my online account, and I can add up the savings I’ve made on each trip.

Can you think of an occasion when the M6toll has ‘saved the day’?

Yes! I was going to a really important meeting in Manchester to meet a client about a project worth in excess of £60million. The investors I was meeting had a flight to catch so I had to be on time, and the M6 was closed near Wednesbury.

I hopped on the M6toll where I was able to shoot straight up to Manchester and meet the client in time. If it hadn’t been for the M6toll, I wouldn’t have made the meeting or won the work!

Finally, what would you say is the best thing about the M6toll?

It’s consistently reliable, which takes all the stress out of my journey – I never have to worry about being late. The lack of congestion has always made the road feel safer too. The only thing I would complain about is that it’s not long enough!

To read another of our articles, Click Here.

 

Back to news

15 faces of the M6toll – David Ashley, leisure user

March 8, 2019
  • Share article:

M6toll 15 faces – Case Study


Hi David, thanks for speaking to us. How long have you been using the M6toll for?

My friends and I bought season tickets for Manchester United in 2013, which means regular trips from Nuneaton to Old Trafford. With kick-off times varying so much, and unexpected train delays or cancellations, we’ve always favoured driving. We first used the road for the second game in the 2013 season, and have used it ever since.

Why did you first decide to start using the M6toll?

On our very first journey we hit standstill traffic at junction six of the M6, which didn’t clear until Keele services. We missed the first ten minutes of the game. From that day we’ve always used the M6toll. We have a lot of 8pm matches, which means we’re on the M6 at 5pm – if we didn’t use the M6toll, we’d have to use our annual leave just to get to games on time.

How often do you use the road?

We use it at least every other weekend, and then it’s up to the team – if we go further in cup competitions, we need to travel to Manchester even more. If we’re using the road more often, it means we’re winning games – so it’s definitely a positive!

What do you think the best thing about the M6toll is?

It is important that we skip past all the Birmingham traffic, of course, but when you use the road as frequently we do, it’s the effect it has on planning our whole day. We know exactly how long the journey will take, give or take 15 minutes due to 50mph speed limits further along the M6, and then can make the most of our time, instead of having to allow at least an extra hour due to uncertainty of when we’ll arrive.

Can you think of an occasion the M6toll has ‘saved the day’?

It was in our first season and we were playing the second leg against Olympiacos in the Champions League. When we left the M6toll, we joined awful traffic that didn’t clear until Stoke-on-Trent. We made it to our seats just as the game kicked off – we overturned a first leg defeat and won 3-0. That match becomes more memorable every season, as it was the last time Manchester United won a game in the knockout phases! I have no idea how much of that game we’d have missed had we not used the M6toll.

To read another of our 15 faces articles, Click Here.

Back to news

M6toll marks 15 year milestone

January 29, 2019
  • Share article:

Since opening in December 2003, the M6toll has been a driving force in alleviating congestion and pollution in the Midlands, taking thousands of trucks, vans and cars off the M6 and local roads every day.

Drivers and commercial fleet operators rely on the M6toll to reach their destination ‘on time, every time’, reducing the time UK drivers spend behind the wheel.

As the quickest and most reliable route through the region, the M6toll is used by thousands of businesses, commuters and leisure users each year – over 18m journeys in 2018 – helping drivers steer clear of the most congested and accident prone sections of the M6.

To mark its 15th anniversary, the M6toll has released 15 facts that motorists might be surprised to discover:

  1. More than 50,000 vehicles use the M6toll every day, and the 250 millionth driver is expected in July 2019
  2. 12 million lorries have used M6toll since it opened, and at peak times over 80% of all cars making long-distance journeys use the road
  3. The M6toll has donated over £960,000 to local charities, schools and community projects and expects that sum to reach £1 million in donations in its 15th year
  4. As Britain’s only privately funded motorway, it was built with £1bn of private investment, and is still operated by Midlands Expressway Limited – no taxpayer funding has ever been used
  5. 2,500,000 Mills & Boon romance novels were pulped to create the motorway surface
  6. Over 400 new habitats have been created for various flora and fauna including badgers, bats, newts, otters and honey producing bees
  7. One million trees have been planted alongside the M6toll.
  8. The busiest day so far was Friday 25th May 2018 with 74,285 vehicles
  9. 4km of ancient hedgerow was transplanted during the construction of the road
  10. The team at M6toll created 18 new ecological ponds and 20 balancing ponds to manage water run-off from the road
  11. M6toll has donated £270,000 to Midlands Air Ambulance, that’s 108 life-saving missions
  12. If the M6toll stacked all of the Tags (electronic pre-payment device) sold over the last 15 years on top of each other, they would be as high as the Shanghai Tower – the tallest structure in China at over 600 metres
  13. M6toll’s own fleet of gritters have used 39,000 tonnes of salt to keep the Midlands moving
  14. 3m tonnes of sand and gravel were excavated and reused during its construction
  15. The M6toll is the safest motorway in the UK, and has its own fleet of rescue vehicles to attend to broken down vehicles (18,000 so far since opening)

For additional information, Discover More About the M6toll Here. If you’d like to work with us as we look to improve the M6toll even more, then Check Out Our Career Opportunities.

Back to news