Exploring New Avenues: M6toll Joins Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce
The UK’s only motorway toll road, the M6toll, is embarking on an exciting journey by becoming patrons of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC). This new partnership aims to forge strong connections with fellow members of the Midlands’ leading business group while raising the profile of the 27-mile motorway stretch, which first opened in December 2003.
Michael Whelan, General Manager of M6toll, emphasises the importance of strengthening relationships with stakeholders and businesses across the region. As a previous Chamber member, the M6toll team recognises the value of joining as a Patron to play a more active role in regional infrastructure and transport strategy.
Recently, the M6toll invested £20 million in new tolling infrastructure, enhancing the customer experience. Notably, they now offer cheaper tariffs for short trips on the road, allowing drivers to pay only for the section they use. Whelan believes that Chamber membership will help spread awareness of these benefits and the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives.
Joining the Chamber provides the M6toll with opportunities to interact with other businesses across the West Midlands. Whelan is particularly keen to connect with local communities and understand customer feedback. Being an active participant in the regional business community is a key priority for the M6toll team.
The M6toll is also committed to highlighting their diverse ESG initiatives. These include investment in solar technology, electric vehicle fleets, promoting wildlife growth, the legacy of one million trees maturing over the past 20 years, water treatment projects, bee pollination, and other ecology efforts following the motorway’s development.
This partnership marks an exciting chapter for the M6toll as they explore new horizons and actively contribute to the growth and development of the regional business landscape.
M6toll Launches Drive for Charity partnership with Midlands Air Ambulance
M6toll is thrilled to announce the first of three 2-year strategic charity partnerships with Midlands Air Ambulance Charity as part of their Drive for Charity initiative, focussed on ‘Saving Lives Through Education and Safety’.
Since the M6toll opened in 2003, the company has supported Midlands Air Ambulance Charity with fundraising and awareness initiatives, making them the charity’s longest standing corporate partner.
Over the past 21 years, M6toll has donated more than £500,000 in fundraising, which has funded hundreds of lifesaving missions via air ambulance helicopter and critical care car.
In addition to financial support, M6toll has also backed a number of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s campaigns and initiatives, including Sky Champs, which provides Key Stage 1 and 2 children with National Curriculum-based activities to use in school and at home.
The new 2-year partnership will focus on delivering education and safety-related projects supporting the charity’s Clinical / First Aid Educational Programme and community outreach. This includes supporting their Wear it Red fundraising campaign and Cannock Chase Running Festival.
Jo Seabright, Customer Experience and Marketing & Communications and Director at M6toll said “We are incredibly proud to continue our long-standing partnership with Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. Our commitment to enhancing education and promoting safety in our community has never been stronger. Together, we can make a significant impact and save more lives.“
Pam Hodgetts, corporate partnership manager at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity said: “The support we have received from M6toll over the last 21 years has been truly amazing. Through fundraising, initiatives, and campaigns, they have played a crucial role in supporting our mission. Their continued partnership is essential to the success of making a meaningful difference and engaging with the communities we serve across the heart of England.”
M6toll Reignites Drive for Charity with a Call to Empower Local Women on International Women’s Day
M6toll is thrilled to announce the relaunch of its renowned Drive for Charity campaign, setting the stage to support a diverse range of community projects, charities, and voluntary organisations across the Midlands.
With an impressive history of over £1.5 million in donations since the road opened 21 years ago, M6toll’s Drive for Charity campaign is gearing up to make an even greater impact in 2025 in recognition of 21 years of operation.
The campaign encompasses three major initiatives:
- Strategic Charity Partnerships: Establishing two-year partnerships with three local charities to focus on education and safety, sustainability and biodiversity, and community and culture.
- On the Road School Travel Scheme: Continuing to facilitate eligible schools and colleagues to benefit from free use of the M6toll via a breeze account.
- In the Community Scheme: Inviting grassroots projects to apply for funding based on quarterly themes, starting with a focus on women’s initiatives.
To kick off the newly revamped campaign, M6toll is focusing on International Women’s Day for its first In the Community scheme quarterly theme, inviting organisations that support local women to apply for funding boosts of up to £1,250. These funds aim to empower women through meaningful community projects.
Jo Seabright, Marketing & Communications and Customer Experience Director at M6toll, shared, “Our commitment to the welfare of our local community goes beyond the toll booths. We deeply care about the towns and villages surrounding the motorway, and our Drive for Charity campaign is designed to support them.”
Organisations interested in applying for the funding boost in recognition of International Women’s Day can find more information and apply by clicking here.
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CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS FOR Q1 IN THE COMMUNITY FUNDING IS 31ST JANUARY 2025
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity Thanks M6toll For 20 Years’ Support
The team at M6toll has been going the extra mile for more than 20 years, raising more than £500,000 for the vital lifesaving service provided by Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.
When the toll road first opened in 2004, the company selected the air ambulance as its chosen charity and has continued to offer this same commitment for the last 20 years. This makes the company the charity’s longest standing corporate partner by a decade.
During M6toll’s time of support, the road has donated more than £500,000 in fundraising, which has funded hundreds of lifesaving missions via air ambulance helicopter and critical care car. It has also provided free passage to the M6toll for the charity’s critical care cars and personally to the members of aircrew, meaning they often get home quicker after a long shift.
In addition to the financial support, M6toll has also supported a number of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s campaigns and initiatives, including Sky Champs, which provides Key Stage 1 and 2 children with National Curriculum based activities to use in school and at home. This is a great resource to schools and was a vital tool for parents who home schooled during the pandemic. As part of Sky Champs, the team at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity gave skills sessions to children in CPR and bleed control, and in the last four years have delivered sessions to more than 16,000 school pupils across the Midlands, thanks to M6toll’s generosity.
Hanna Sebright, chief executive of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said: “The support our organisation has received from M6toll is exceptional. Their team has been by our side for two thirds of our charity’s existence and we cannot than them enough for their unfaltering commitment. Through fundraising, initiatives and campaigns, they have directly helped our advanced clinicians deliver outstanding clinical care at the scene of an incident.”
Joanna Seabright, customer experience, marketing and communications director at M6toll, added: “We are extremely proud of our long standing and successful partnership with the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, and over the past 20 years we’ve seen the positive impact of their important work. It’s been a pleasure to support the life-saving missions the charity carry out all year round, and our whole team have been involved in so many initiatives over the years, not only to provide much needed funds but also to support various volunteering programmes and initiatives.”
Back to newsNew data points to M6toll becoming HGV route of choice
The levels of service enjoyed by hauliers, logistic operators and delivery firms using the M6toll in preference to the M6 is making it the ‘route of choice’ for HGV businesses, based on new exclusive data.
The M6toll data analytics team’s latest round of number crunching has revealed huge time savings for businesses when using the M6toll compared to the M6. Based on a data set that covers the year to date, M6toll users, on average, save 786 hours compared to just 22 hours when using the M6 for an equivalent journey.
M6toll users also enjoy more consistent and predictable travel times due to lower congestion levels. By contrast, M6 travel times can be highly variable and often longer due to increased traffic congestion and more frequent incidents.
The M6toll’s lower traffic volumes also contributes to a lower number of accidents. However, when incidents do occur road users can expect a rapid response, with an average 20-minute response time from the M6toll’s incident support units.
It means incidents can be dealt with quickly and efficiently, with as little impact on customers as possible. Furthermore, when overnight closures are scheduled, efforts are always made to keep the road open and diversions and disruption to a minimum – and always with safety in mind.
Sarah Gourlay, M6toll Senior Account Manager, said: “When you take a deep look into the latest round of data from our expert team, what it shows is that if you choose to put your vehicles on the M6 then you are taking a huge risk with your business.
“There is the risk that that your deliveries will not arrive on time, your drivers will not have as stress free a drive as they could, and a strong possibility of diversions from your main route and lower levels of customer service for your business.
“Alternatively, the business efficiencies and support the M6toll provides is increasingly making it the route of choice for hauliers, logistics companies and delivery firms seeking a seamless, hassle-free journey through the West Midlands region.”
For more views from businesses on why they use the M6toll, visit our case studies.
Back to newsRevving Up for Charity: M6toll Waves Fees for Thousands of Ride to the Wall Bikers
Midland Expressway Limited (MEL), operators of the M6toll, will once again provide free passage for motorcyclists attending this year’s Ride to the Wall event on the 5th October.
Around 2,000 bikers are expected to pass through the toll booths on their way to the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas. This charity event unites bikers from the UK and abroad to honor and remember service men and women while raising funds for the Arboretum.
Maxine Estevez, Communications Manager at M6toll, expressed pride in supporting Ride to the Wall for 17 years, ensuring smooth and safe passage for the bikers, whilst enabling them to save around £9,000 in toll costs. Riders will start from eleven points across the Midlands, traveling through T5 (Shenstone) and T6 (Burntwood) plazas between 9:30 am and 11 am.
To facilitate smooth passage, wide load lanes at both plazas will be marked with signs on the slip roads approaching the plaza. Riders are requested to avoid exiting at T4 (Weeford) to minimize congestion.
Martin Dickinson, founder of Ride to the Wall, added, “We are back for the 17th year, which is an amazing achievement. We are grateful for the support of M6toll in making this route affordable for all the bikers taking part. With over 7,000 registrations this year, our volunteer marshals will ensure a smooth and successful event. We ask all participants to familiarise themselves with the routes and follow instructions from our marshals to ensure everyone arrives safely.”
To mark it’s 20-year milestone, Midland Expressway Limited have invested £20 million in a package of improvements which is now complete following the launch of its Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) tolling system. M6toll customers can now benefit from journeys which are a ‘toll lot cheaper, easier and quicker’ with a breeze account.
For more information on supporting the Ride to the Wall charity, click here.
For more information on the M6toll breeze account, click here.
For media enquiries, please contact: pressoffice@m6toll.co.uk
Back to newsIntroducing Breeze: A Toll new experience
The completion of the M6toll’s £20 million upgrade on 13th May is being marked with a rolling back of some prices to 2008 levels, when Gordon Brown was still Prime Minister, few had heard of Barack Obama, and the London Olympics was still 4 years away!
A new £4 rate for local journeys (between junctions T6 and T3 inclusive) will be available to anyone with a new ‘breeze’ account, representing a 35% saving on standard non-account prices. Other journeys will also be cheaper for breeze members, including an 8% discount for those travelling the full length of the road.
“Thanks to our £20 million investment, we’re making make it simpler, quicker and cheaper to use the M6 toll” said Michael Whelan, General Manager of Midland Expressway Limited, operators of M6toll.
“We’re especially pleased that we can now offer special rates for shorter journeys, and hope our new, fairer prices will help to further reduce congestion on the local road network, especially along the A5 and A38”.
New Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology means that breeze account holders can pass through any lane at the toll plazas without stopping at the barrier, including the new ‘breeze’ lane. Improvements to online accounts have also been introduced, enabling customers to download statements, add vehicles to their account, and manage their automatic top-up amounts.
A planned price increase for non-account holders will also be implemented on 13th May. To open a new breeze account – and for details of the new prices – motorists should visit m6toll.co.uk/breeze
Back to news£20m upgrade makes using M6toll a breeze
A £20 million upgrade to the M6toll is nearing completion, following the launch of its new Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) tolling system. The initiative is the latest milestone in a 2 year investment programme designed to keep traffic moving, simplify customer account management and attract more people onto the road.
The new system records vehicles as they join and leave the M6toll, allowing the previous ‘flat rate’ charges to be replaced with a more sophisticated pricing structure to attract more local traffic from the busy A5 and A38, and through traffic using the M6.
Improvements have also been introduced in the toll lanes to improve traffic flow at busy times. This has included the introduction of e-Receipts to replace paper receipts previously printed at toll booths, and the installation of new contactless readers which accept Apple and Google Pay, in addition to credit, debit and fuel cards.
Account holders will see even more benefits, as drivers will now be able to use any lane through the toll plazas without having to stop at the barrier, including a dedicated account lane. Plans are also being finalised to introduce attractive discounts for local customers over the coming weeks.
Michael Whelan, General Manager of M6toll, said: “Our £20 million upgrade is a significant step in transforming the user experience for our M6toll customers. It means more hassle free and efficient journeys on the road and a smoother and more efficient customer journey off the road, with easier management of online accounts.”
In conjunction with the £20 million investment, and the M6toll celebrating its 20 year anniversary, M6toll has also unveiled a refreshed new brand identity, following its integration into the Aleatica portfolio.
Aleatica is a smart, safe and sustainable mobility company dedicated to operating transportation infrastructure, with a footprint throughout Latin America and Europe. Fully owned by IFM Investors, the company oversees more than 360 million vehicles on its 1,100 km of infrastructure annually.
Back to newsM6toll celebrates 20 years with £20 million investment
A £20 million package of improvements will mark the 20th Anniversary of M6toll, as it celebrates two decades of keeping traffic moving through the Midlands. The technology upgrade will make it quicker to get through the toll lanes, easier to manage online accounts, and cheaper for thousands of local users.
Since opening in 2003, the M6toll has been a driving force in reducing congestion and pollution in the Midlands, attracting up to 65,000 vehicles from the M6 and regional road network on weekdays. Over 300 million customers have used the road over the past 20 years.
M6toll is known for its freeflowing traffic, and much of the upgrade is focused on improving the driving experience, ensuring that traffic continues to flow through the toll lanes, even at peak times. An enhanced Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system, new contactless readers that accept smartphone payments and behind-the-scenes improvements to customer account management will combine to keep things moving, even on the busiest days. The ANPR system will also enable more sophisticated pricing to be introduced during the year, particularly benefiting those people who don’t travel the whole length of the route.
Michael Whelan, General Manager of the M6toll, said: “Thank you to our customers, partners, and dedicated team members who have played pivotal roles in our journey over the past 20 years.
“As a commercial organisation, we receive no subsidy from the government, so all investment comes direct from the private sector, whilst toll income is used to maintain and operate the road to a world-class level.”
In conjunction with their 20th-anniversary celebration and the £20 million investment, M6toll has also unveiled a refreshed new brand identity, following its integration into the Aleatica portfolio. Aleatica is a smart, safe and sustainable mobility company dedicated to operating transportation infrastructure, with a footprint throughout Latin America and Europe. Fully owned by IFM Investors, the company oversees more than 360 million vehicles on its 1,100 km of infrastructure annually.
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