Political leaders oppose M6Toll increases
The leaders of the seven local authorities and West Midlands mayor have written a letter to the owners of the M6toll motorway, deploring their decision to hike toll charges, especially for HGVs, and asking them to reconsider.
In a joint letter to Midlands Express Ltd (MEL), Mayor Andy Street and council leaders stressed that the price increases would force more traffic away from the toll, and back on to the already congested M6, which runs right through the regions’s urban heartland, with the damaging impact that will have on air quality, and the health of residents living near by.
The letter tells MEL that the Mayor and council leaders are “extremely disappointed at the decision by MEL, operator of the M6 toll, to increase charges, in particular for HGVs. This will do nothing to move more vans and heavy goods vehicles off the regions other roads and on to the M6toll. This needs to happen if we are serious about improving air quality and managing congestion.”
On air pollution, the letter added: ” We are surprised that MEL is proposing these increases at a time when a major public consultation on air quality, including the introduction of a clean air zone in Birmingham , is about to begin. Given the challenges we face around clean air we would expect all parties to play their part in tackling this major health issue.”
In conclusion the Mayor and council leaders said” This price increase could push traffic back onto the M6 which will only result in poorer air quality. We trust that MEL will reconsider these price increases and work with us on improving air quality and managing congestion, two of the biggest challenges this region faces.”
