There aren’t many toll roads in the UK. Despite the high cost of fuel, we’re arguably fortunate that we only need to pay road tax to drive. But in the West Midlands, there’s a toll road that has been operating since 2003, known as the M6 Toll or the M6 Toll, or Midland Expressway to give its proper title. It is England’s only tolled motorway at present.
Accessed at junctions 4a and 11 of the M6, this toll road is only 27 miles long. While it has faced extensive criticism from environmentalists and freight drivers alike, over time, it has come to serve the purpose for which it was built. On this page, we’ll explore how much the M6 toll road costs and how you can pay it.
How much is the toll on the M6 motorway?
| Class 1 Motorbike | Class 2 Cars | Class 3 Car & Trailer | Class 4 Van or Motorhome | Class 5 HGV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainline | £4.30 | £8.90 | £12.90 | £15.30 | £15.90 |
| Junction | £3.00 | £5.80 | £8.70 | £12.30 | £13.20 |
The price of the toll can be a bit confusing. Prices can be anything from £1.70 to £12.90 (based on February 2022 charges).
How much you pay on the M6 Toll depends on the kind of vehicle you drive. Motorbikes are cheaper than cars, which are cheaper than lorries – there are five classifications of vehicles in total.
The 27-mile road is broken down into eight toll sections, labelled T1-T8. If you use the whole stretch (referred to as ‘mainline’), you’ll be charged more than if you join for only one junction.
You should note, it’s heavily signposted on the approach to both junctions, but if you end up on the M6 Toll accidentally, you’ll have to pay for at least one junction. There are members of staff in the toll plaza areas that can help direct you if this happens.
Why do you have to pay on M6?
The M6 itself is just a regular motorway, which is free of charge to use. However, in the 1980s, the sector between Coleshill (junction 4a) and Wolverhampton (junction 11) was running over capacity. Built to handle around 72,000 vehicles per day, it was actually seeing as many as 180,000.
Throughout the 1990s, the incumbent government agreed that a consortium of builders, including established brands like Balfour Beatty, could privately build the ‘Birmingham North Relief Road’ – now the M6 Toll. The consortium called Midland Expressway Ltd would own the toll road for 50 years, then return it to the government. Thus, unlike the M6, the M6 Toll will not be a regular, state-owned motorway until at least 2054.
How do you pay the M6 toll?
Payment methods depend on whether you have an M6 ‘TAG’. On the approach to the toll plaza (the wider road area with the choice of lanes and machines), unless you have a TAG, you’ll need to select a non-TAG lane.
In a non-TAG lane, you can pay at the machine using your card, both contactless or with your PIN, though not with a smartphone.
In a TAG lane, you’ll have previously set up an M6 Toll account and will have received the TAG device in the post. This goes in your windscreen and communicates with the receivers in the TAG lanes to mark your account details.
The company that runs M6 Toll is currently looking into the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to speed up the process for all drivers on this stretch of road.
Does M6 Toll accept cash?
No, the M6 Toll has no way of accepting cash payment. If you end up on the toll without means of payment, then a member of staff issues a payment notice, giving you a period of time to make the payment. You can make payment through the M6 Toll website.
There’s a £70 penalty charge if the payment isn’t made.
Are there services on the M6 Toll?
Yes, there’s one humble set of services at Norton Canes. Operated by Roadchef, it has a wide variety of eateries including Coco di Mama, Chozen Noodle, Costa Coffee, Fresh Food Café, LEON, McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme. Customers can also find WHSmith and SPAR shops.
There’s a Days Inn hotel and BP refuelling station too. Like many service stations now, the first two hours of parking are free and then there are charges, which are operated by NexusPay.
There are four electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, with three CCS, one ChaDeMo and two Type 2 connectors. These are operated by Gridserve.
What’s the alternative route if I don’t want to pay for the M6 Toll?
To avoid paying the M6 Toll charges, it’s pretty easy to simply stay on the M6 motorway. You may face considerably more congestion as others do the same.
If you need to be at a location closer to the northern arc of the M6 Toll, you’ll be able to navigate along the A5 and pick up the A452. Alternatively, if you’re coming up from the south and need to be somewhere to the east, the M42 runs parallel with the M6 Toll for a short stretch. This motorway is state-owned.
