Road freight leaders claim toll prices are too high

The Freight Transport Association blames high toll rates.

It says new figures suggest that lorries make up less than 5% of the total toll road traffic while 45,000 goods vehicles use the M6 each day.

The association says if rates were more attractive to lorry operators then more would use the 27-mile route, allowing traffic to be spread more evenly.

'Fantastic value'

Tom Fanning, from Midland Expressway Limited, who operate the toll road said they want it to be the route of choice for hauliers.

"With running costs of a truck at around �30 an hour, �8.50 (after VAT reclaim and launch discount) to make a predicted time saving of 45 minutes on the M6 Toll is a price worth paying.

"Two-axled lorries pay just �5, a price which represents fantastic value for many hauliers.

"Indeed, the Freight Transport Association recently came out firmly in favour of these rates saying, 'The present �5 toll is clearly an attractive rate for two axle rigid lorries. The FTA urges companies operating these vehicles to take advantage of the reduced journey time provided by using the M6 Toll at the currently reduced �5 rate'.

"It's still early days but a number of operators are already trialing the road - operators such as TNT, Datapost and James Irlam.

"Many of these have already set up tag accounts which is fantastic news."