Big rise in traffic on M6 Toll
The M6 Toll is on track for its 160 millionth vehicle as usage soars – as its boss today vowed that his road will stay in private ownership.
Tom Fanning said the figures showed people were prepared to pay for faster motorway journeys and hailed a 'spectacular' turn around following years of declining use.
It comes after West Midlands transport authority Centro called for the road to be taken over by the taxpayer to cut congestion on the M6.
But M6 Toll chief executive Mr Fanning has dismissed this as 'ludicrous'
Sixty-three-year-old Mr Fanning said there was 'no chance' of the 27-mile road being handed over to the Government.
He said he would freeze prices for rest of this year, but he has no plans to consider a reduction on the £5.50 charge for a car.
He also ruled out paying for an extension of the M54 to link with the M6, saying his firm, Midland Expressway, would only be prepared to discuss funding a new road leading directly to the M6 Toll. Residents in Featherstone, South Staffordshire, are against the idea of a new road and would prefer to see the M54 given a slip road onto the M6 at junction 10A.
Mr Fanning revealed plans to spend up to £2m on new signs for the M6 Toll and how he is re-starting fundraising.
The road, opened in 2003, has come under fire for high prices and low usage, while the Highways Agency has spent millions upgrading the M6 to open up the hard shoulder.
Mr Fanning said: "We had a bad patch in 2009, 2010 and 2011. But 2013 and 2014 have been spectacular. There have been roadworks but the economy has picked up and our customers have stayed loyal."
The road was getting an average of 48,252 vehicles per day in the week between April and June compared with 44,939 last year. At weekends the average is now 32,265 compared with 29,765.
"We haven't put the toll rates up since 2012," Mr Fanning said. "We're not doing it this year either." Centro chief executive Geoff Inskip has called on the Government to take on ownership of the M6 Toll to ease congestion in Birmingham. But Mr Fanning said: "The argument is ludicrous. There is going to be traffic. But 85 per cent of our business is long distance."
