Radical changes to the way the M6 Toll operates to stop it being a “rich person’s motorway” are to be considered by the Government.
It followed a day of chaos on Midland roads in February when the M6 closed for almost 24 hours at an estimated cost to the local economy of £40 million.
Transport Minister Andrew Jones said: “It is clearly appropriate to review everything in light of that very serious incident.”
He was speaking in a Commons debate after Solihull MP Julian Knight (Con) called for changes to the M6 Toll including opening it up for free when there are problems elsewhere on the road network, and cutting the prices paid by motorists the rest of the time.
The Minister said he would meet Mr Knight to discuss his proposals.
In theory it is already possible to open up the M6 Toll for motorists to use free of charge if there is gridlock elsewhere on the road network.
But this arrangement, called Operation Freeway, involves paying M6 Toll owners Midlands Expressway £300,000 per day plus VAT. And it has never actually happened.
Read more: Urgent plan of action needed for M6 traffic delays chaos says police chief
Mr Knight said that an annual fee should be paid to Midlands Expressway so that the M6 Toll could be made free-to-use when needed, with a limit of around five days per year.
He said: “If the M6 toll is to serve the best interests of the West Midlands and our economy as it was built to, we must see fundamental reform of how it operates, especially during gridlock and crisis situations.”
And he said the standard cost of using the road should be cut, because the standard cost for most cars was £2 when it first opened in 2003 but has risen to £5.50 today.
Mr Knight said: “We should also I believe consider lowering the day to day costs of the M6 Toll.”
The road is currently seen as a “rich person’s motorway” but cutting fees would lead to more motorists using it and less congestion on other roads, he said.
Read more: The £300,000 cost to open up M6 Toll Road during crisis
And Mr Knight said the planned new West Midlands Combined Authority, a council which will cover Birmingham, Solihull, the Black Country and Coventry, should make decisions about the M6 Toll.
This would prove to local people that they benefitted from devolution, he said.
“The current system is in clear need of reform and it offers the government a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the strengths and benefits of the devolution agenda.”
Mr Jones said Mr Knight “has made important suggestions”.
He said he would meet Mr Knight to discuss the issues raised in the debate.
Watch: Drivers were stranded for up to seven hours after an horrific fatal crash left the M6 closed for almost 24 hours.
It follows a day of chaos on the M6 in Birmingham in February when parts of the motorway were closed for almost 24 hours after a fatal collision involving a lorry and a car.
The M6 Toll runs roughly parallel to the M6 north from Water Orton, north east of Birmingham, before joining the M6 near Cannock in Staffordshire.
