M6 toll road

gilbert_and_sullivan

No its not worth the diversion for your journey even if it was free...UNLESS...the M5/M6 has accident related hold ups in the section the M42/toll road con by-passes, even then it would have to be 30 minutes or so min delay, M42 sections past Shirley Solihull and NEC are very busy, hold ups there just as likely.

Keep your radio tuned to radio 2 if you can stand Felz or the ginger winger (i can't) but with the TA button engaged for traffic announcements from local independant stations.

The only time you really have problems is on Friday afternoons when the accident prone all travel together.

wongataa

only_mee wrote: »

Devon to Manchester

In that case using the M6 toll would be a rather long and expensive diversion.

pinkteapot

Totally, totally worth it. We go up the M6 a couple of times a year and always use it.

One year we made the mistake of thinking "Oh, it's 10pm, going through Birmingham on the non-toll was fine". No! World's worst motorway road surface, really busy, lots of traffic on/off at junctions, and random lane closures for no reason. Never again!

It's pricey so if I was local and commuting I might not bother (though assume a season ticket is available?). As part of the costs of a big occasional trip, it's a small price to pay for the emptiest motorway you'll find south of Carlisle.

CLAPTON

it adds 20 miles to the journey

you have to spend time on the M42 which is often congested especially if anything is on at the NEC

Little_Vics

Not worth it at all if you're coming up the M5. We drove Gloucester to Manchester a couple of weeks ago via M5 & M6 and had no issues at all.

To take the M6 Toll you'll need to detour via the M42, so it's not really worth it in my opinion.

LE3

only_mee wrote: »

Devon to Manchester

You won't want the M6 toll then - it goes round the top of Birmingham & you'll be going up the side!

scheming_gypsy

At 10am during the week the toll road will probably be the safest option.

although you can either rely on the radio to tell you if the M6 is busy, or use the AA's traffic news site to see if there are delays and then take it from there.
It's well worth a fiver instead of sitting in traffic crawling past Birmingham, especially if you're on a long journey and don't want to spend all day on the road.

bigjl

Another vote for staying M5 to M6.

As others have said unless something happens on the west side of Brum to cause you to divert there is nothing to be gained.

Lum

Coming from Devon is M5, joining the M6 at J8

The M6 Toll runs from M6 J3A -> M6 J11a

To join the M6 Toll when you're coming from Devon you would have to traverse the entire length of the M42. This road is at least as bad as the M6 for congestion and stupidity, and you can guarantee that at 10AM the HADECS will be on for at least part of it, dropping the road to 50 or lower.

Go M5 -> M6

Protip: If the the M5/M6 merge looks to be backed up for miles, take M6 South instead of M6 North and turn around at J7 Great Barr, this is often faster but beware as J7 is a really odd design requiring you to keep right and exit from the inside of the roundabout.

wba31

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

It's well worth a fiver instead of sitting in traffic crawling past Birmingham, especially if you're on a long journey and don't want to spend all day on the road.

or save a fiver, and if the M5/M6 is busy, head up the M4 past Reading, M25 clockwise, M1 North, then at junction 24 take the A50 west and you'll have missed Birmingham's traffic issues...

M5 and M6 is all you need to think about, its the only direct route...