Alton Towers - M1 Northbound **beware**

Destroyer

Hi Everyone,

i just wanted to let anyone who is thinking of travelling this summer to Alton Towers 'Northbound' on the M1 to beware of the latest 'SCAM' dreamt up by The Highways Agency.

Whilst travelling to Alton Towers on the M1 from London we were re-directed via a big motorway electronic sign 'Alton Towers - Take M6'.

We thought this must of been a diversion due to a traffic jam, but thats pretty weird at 06.00 am on a Sunday morning. Little did we know, but we were being sent down a 'TOLL' road that cost me £4 to use the motorway !!!!

Its a complete scam, & looking at the map i dont believe it made my journey any quicker at all.

So my advice to all those travelling to Alton Towers this summer is to stick on the M1 until Junction 21a ignore the signs for M6 & save yourself £4.

Its a complete stitch up !!!

Doozergirl

If you came off the M1 onto the M6 you'd have been driving for about 15 miles before you hit the M6 Toll. It does get a bit confusing at that point because the M6 Toll is straight ahead and you have to bear off to carry on the regular M6.

So you can take the M6 without paying the toll.

vikingaero

On the Highways Agency website it says that the M1 Jct 21 is closed. Not sure why though? If it was closed on Sunday and tonight maybe there's road works?

MarkyMarkD

Highways Agency don't make any money from the M6 Toll, so your conspiracy theory is wrong.

You just took the wrong turn at the M6/M6 toll/M42 junction, which as Doozer says is easily done. You have to leave the main road to stay on the M6.

Destroyer

The thing is, if youve never used the 'Toll Road' before, you havent got a clue what your letting yourself in for. All i know is before we reached the 'Pay Station' there were signs showing red crosses on the fee's for vehicles giving you a false impression the road was free to use at this time. It is a scam, we pay enough taxes in this country - 'Road Tax' is one of them and there is no excuse for this sort of abuse of the travelling motorist. Theres no way you should be able to drive halfway up a motorway with no way of exiting and then have to pay ?? The Pay station should be at the beginning so you either join or leave at that stage.

porridge

Destroyer wrote: »

The thing is, if youve never used the 'Toll Road' before, you havent got a clue what your letting yourself in for. All i know is before we reached the 'Pay Station' there were signs showing red crosses on the fee's for vehicles giving you a false impression the road was free to use at this time. It is a scam, we pay enough taxes in this country - 'Road Tax' is one of them and there is no excuse for this sort of abuse of the travelling motorist. Theres no way you should be able to drive halfway up a motorway with no way of exiting and then have to pay ?? The Pay station should be at the beginning so you either join or leave at that stage.

Oh behave, its clearly marked as a toll road, you have a choice whether you want to use it or not.

loobs40

The M6 toll was a godsend for me having to travel up the M1 and M6 to North Wales most Friday evenings.

It is also clearly marked on the approach to the split between the M6 and the M6 Toll. I believe you would have also been able to exit onto the M42 after a couple of miles or so without paying any toll

aloiseb

I agree that it's not easy to find the free road - just try to find the A38 south near Lichfield without ending up on the toll road! - but I think they are "recommending" the toll road to try and ease congestion on the main M6, which is still hideously jammed at times, rather than trying to make money.

One thing to be aware of is that when you come off the toll road at about Cannock, the queue sometimes starts there.......!

Solution - drive at 3am, only time it's quiet.

louidog

After a horrendous journey up to the Lakes on Friday I can honestly say the only way to drive on the M6 is to use the toll road.....£4 is a small price to pay for a stress free journey!

My_Fathers_Daughter

Why blame the Highways Agency because you can't read roadsigns what kind of terrible conspiracy theory relies on the idiocy of the general public :cool:

I can't grow carrots...shall I balme DEFRA :rolleyes: or is it really Mr Tescos sabotaging my attempts so I MUST buy my carrots from him

Sorry guys - but this kind of ill informed nonsense gets my goat.