Post by Taxigirl on Dec 8, 2003 18:06:30 GMT
The country's first toll motorway will open to traffic on Tuesday.
Motorists will be offered the chance to avoid congestion in the West Midlands by paying £2 to drive along the 27-mile M6 Toll, formerly known as the Birmingham Northern Relief Road.
The road's operator Midland Expressway Ltd (MEL) revealed last month that the £900 million highway project would be subject to a phased opening over a five-day period.
Managing director Tom Fanning told a news conference at the firm's headquarters in Weeford, Staffs, last month that opening the road was a very complex process and that motorists' safety must be paramount.
'Free-flowing'
Use of the road - which is billed as offering a free-flowing alternative to the existing M6 - will initially be restricted to local motorists joining the route from Lichfield, Tamworth, Sutton Coldfield, Brownhills and Cannock.
MEL has been granted a 53-year concession to operate and maintain the M6 Toll, which will link junctions four and 11 of the M6.
MEL announced plans in May to levy a standard charge of £2 for cars, £5 for vans and £10 for lorries.
The operator claims the M6 Toll will save motorists approximately 45 minutes on an average journey time by avoiding the heavily-congested section of the M6 north of Birmingham.
About 140 staff have been employed on the toll route and a fleet of gritters and maintenance vehicles are standing by to help keep it running.
The road will boast a 68-acre service area at Norton Canes, to be operated on a 25-year contract by Road Chef.