M6 Toll road (1 Viewer)

[irnbru]

Hi we will be picking up our new MH from Essex and driving it home to Glasgow tomorrow morning, hopefully setting off about 10am after rush hour.
Whats your thoughts on the M6 toll road. Is it worth the £11, or should we just stick to the old M6 ( we are not cc members so don't get a discount).

We will not be travelling fast but at the same time hopefully don't want to be sitting in traffic jams

Thanks
Sandra

 

[Chris]

Personally, I would use the old M6.

I begrudge using that toll toad.

 

[camcondor]

The toll road is lovely to travel on as there is virtually no congestion - whereas the same cannot be said for the M6 itself. You will be travelling through the busiest part of it and personally, even though I also begrudge the charge, I would use the Toll Road as you have a long journey and its a decent road, much better state of repair than the main M6 and will be much less stress on a long journey as you are making.

If you use the M6 itself you will definitely sit in a traffic jam somewhere........i have to use it every day and its a nightmare.

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[Soaringman]

Use the old M6, not worth the money unless you are on business or there is a traffic jam on the old M6.
Keep the radio on. It does make me angry that we have to pay a toll on any roads, why do we pay road tax ???:Angry:

 

[Taran_Las]

If you are a member of the Caravan club you get a discount on the toll road. You must have your membership card with you though.

 

[camcondor]

Use the old M6, not worth the money unless you are on business or there is a traffic jam on the old M6.
Keep the radio on. It does make me angry that we have to pay a toll on any roads, why do we pay road tax ???:Angry:

Trouble is, there are almost always traffic jams on the M6, it is apparently the busiest motorway in Europe now, while the M25 is the most congested. There are several hotspots that are virtually constantly gridlocked on the M6. And the behaviour of the trucks seems to be generally awful, the speeds they seem to reach are crazy - we definitely miss traffic cops out there, that's for sure. With a journey as long as from Essex to Glasgow, I think I would pay the £11 just to have somewhat less stress in a new motorhome on a very long journey, but I agree its ridiculous that it is charged in the first place!

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[buttons]

Don't know what you paid for your new van but I'm sure it will put £11 into insignificance. It is a one off sod the expense go on treat yourself. riving2:

 

[chaser]

I used to use The m6 everyday when working and found after ten o clock it isn't too bad and that was before they opened up the hard shoulder, never been on the toll

 

[magicsurfbus]

On the way back from France via Dover we always treat ourselves to the Brum Toll Road - for a short while it's like being back in France again. Plus you rub shoulders with a better class of people in the service area ;-)

M6 Birmingham's not always desperate but you have to choose your time carefully, and I certainly can't be arsed with it on a long journey.

Also, with regard to earlier mentions of tolls versus 'Road Tax' - nobody pays Road Tax, we pay Vehicle Excise Duty based on engine capacity and pollution limits and the proceeds from that go into a general government spending pot. It's not specifically earmarked for transport infrastructure and could be spent on anything, including benefits, MP's expenses, flying Prince Andrew to his next golf match etc etc..

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[sdc77]

If it's during the day.. Toll road every time..
Its a choice.... Take it

You could just sit in congestion and smog and bad tempered drivers as an alternative though

 

[GJH]

We must have been lucky. We don't use the M6 very often but have never found it any worse than any other motorway in general. Same with the M25. One or two journeys on each have been affected by slow traffic/incidents but that is the same of other major roads.

 

[Daedalus]

It's not just the section of motorway around Brum that gives problems - there's the M62 section and the Thelwall Viaduct - it's areally crap road at the best of times.:Sad:

If we're coming from the south east we always use the M11 / A1 and then cut across to the west coast using the A66 - for Glasgow it's just as easy and far more relaxing.

A lot of the truckies do it that way as well (including the one's heading for Edinburgh) - far easier than fighting the M6 traffic.

Daedalus

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[WynandJean]

I have to agree. We live in the bit between the M5 and M6 and although the M6 at this point is very busy that is at its worst at rush hour, like everywhere else. With a little patience we've always managed to negotiate it in reasonable time and, as previously stated there are similar congested areas on most routes. I certainly won't be keen to encourage the proliferation of toll roads!

Wyn

We must have been lucky. We don't use the M6 very often but have never found it any worse than any other motorway in general. Same with the M25. One or two journeys on each have been affected by slow traffic/incidents but that is the same of other major roads.

 

[scotjimland]

It's not just the section of motorway around Brum that gives problems - there's the M62 section and the Thelwall Viaduct - it's areally crap road at the best of times.:Sad:

If we're coming from the south east we always use the M11 / A1 and then cut across to the west coast using the A66 - for Glasgow it's just as easy and far more relaxing.

A lot of the truckies do it that way as well (including the one's heading for Edinburgh) - far easier than fighting the M6 traffic.

Daedalus

Agreed.. :thumb::thumb:

we use that route when travelling from Suffolk to Ayrshire

 

[buttons]

We must have been lucky. We don't use the M6 very often but have never found it any worse than any other motorway in general. Same with the M25. One or two journeys on each have been affected by slow traffic/incidents but that is the same of other major roads.

The M25 now it has extra lanes around the NW section is a breeze. If ever I run into slow traffic I just remind myself what life was like before the M25 was built.
As far as the M6 toll, I did use it last month, I found the biggest problem was keeping the speed down. Does anyone know if speed enforcement exist on this section. :Blush:

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[MikeD]

I used to travel to Manchester from London a fair bit and always stayed on the M1 till J24A and then took the A50 across to the M6.

A50 is mostly dual carriageway and was never busy but it has been a few years since I have been that way.

:thumb::thumb:

 

[mike mcglynn]

Toll Roads

Hi, Irnbru I think that for £11 I would go for it as its a long old drive from Essex up to Glasgow and if you think thats a little too much wait until you go to France

 

[davanne]

Using the toll will save 1/2 hr there is a 50mph ( 40mph in some parts) on the m6.
I have a friend who travels up to Lancashire from Warwickshire every week at different times of the day and their vote would be the toll.
As you have a long journey I would definitely use the toll.:thumb:

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[burtonbird]

Considering what you have already paid, and what its going to cost in fuel, £11 fades into insignificance. Take the toll, sit back and enjoy the ride!!

 

[Steve]

All good comments both for and against.
I would personally use the toll road and stop for a break.
Steve

 

[gordoncbrown]

We are heading to Wales for the last weekend of the six nations and will probably use it to ensure a jam free trip down as we will want to get down there. On the way back we have taken a few days off so we will use whatever road is easiest or convenient. In your situation I would want to get home and explore the new beast. It would be a bit frustrating to sit for a couple of hours in a jam or crawl along.:thumb:

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[scousebird]

When we travel up to Liverpool to see the family we always use the toll road and visit the services on it, never very busy and always spotless.

 

[Yorick]

I got sick of getting stuck on M42 and M6, so now I always head west bound on M42 (after M40) and head up M5.

Much better route

 

[Zains Pops]

As a Essex boy who travels north frequently I long ago gave up on the m25,m1,m6 route and now always use the M11 A1 route it's a much more pleasant run and usually jam free. You can cross over on the M 62 or even better the A66 which is a spectacular run through stunning countryside.
Enjoy the ride I your new MH and avoid all that M1 M6 nonsense.

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[Detnor]

I use the M6 around Birmingham most days. Junctions 7-10 are always heavy, especially with the roadworks that seem to have been in place for years.

You can be lucky and get a clear run, but if you sit at 50-60 in your van, the HGV's will constantly be going past you and force back in, meaning a long hard drive in the heavy traffic.

The toll road is a pleasure, the left hand booths are normally quickest in a van as the cars seem to like to stay straight and go for the central booths. The service area is pretty good also.

As has been posted, the Caravan Club card cuts the cost to the same as a car.

In the car, I use the M6, but in the van, the toll road wins for me.

 

[hilldweller]

Is it worth the £11
Sandra

Are you sure you're Scottish ?

Trouble with the M6 it is TROUBLE most of it's length so you may save a bit for £11 but it will get you later. Death Valley starts just north of the toll.

You should hit Birmingham before the evening rush hour.

I often use M11 A14 M1 A50 and hit the M6 at Stoke. But even that can fail at times.

 

[dave newell]

Thing is with the present roadworks and 50mph speed limit enforced by average speed cameras it actually works better than when no roadworks, simply because drivers now stick pretty much to the 50 limit so it flows quite well. We went to Brum just over a week ago on the Saturday and it took just 50 minutes into the centre from Telford. Listen to the radio, in particular radio 2 for the traffic reports every half hour or so, if there's a problem on the M6 it will be reported and you can then take evasive routing.

D.

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[camocam1]

I use the M6 toll for both the car and the MH when I go to visit my daughter in Bedworth beside Coventry (500miles door to door) when I travel down from Elgin. It is well worth the £11 in my mind as saves some stress but do find that I am usually stuck in traffic Stafford / Stoke area which is always bad for traffic and accidents
whatever you decide take it easy and get home safe

 

[lorger]

We travel this route when going to Dover from Dumfries each year, my personal recommendation would be M40, M42, M5 then M6 you would be surprised the difference in time although its about 10 mile longer.

If your coming from Essex would the M1 not be a good option then across at scotch corner to Penrith.

 

[DBK]

I used to go up the M5 and then north up the M6 to the M54 for Telford quite regularly some years ago. When the M6 Toll was opened it made a dramatic difference to the queues. Previously we would cut the corner via Kidderminster during busy times as it was quicker but that became unnecessary once the toll road was open.

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