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Cut in M6 toil still not attrading more users
Page 26
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This is the third instalment of the Commercial Motor/Michelin Business Monitor which is designed to give you an insight into current trends within the road transport industry.
SINCE PRICES WERE announced last year the MbToll road has attracted controversy, with the Freight Transport and Road Haulage Associations calling repeatedly for a rate reduction. This summer's price drop from Ili) to .E6 has certainly attracted more operators onto the route —of the firms we surveyed 26,5% use the M6 Toll now, compared with 15% when it was first launched.
But why haven't more operators taken the plunge? The top three reasons cited by our survey are: IN The M6 has now been freed up (13%) • It's still too costly (12%) • It doesn't save much time (5%) But Chris Harris from James Young Transport is one of 4% of operators who says they wouldn't use the M6 Toll on principle: "I already pay enough tax to use the roads without paying any more to use the toll— the trucks either use the M6 or the M42."
This month's survey also revealed that, despite a number of new initiatives to help tackle truck crime,more than 10% of the operators surveyed had been a victim of crime in the previous quarter— one had his truck shot at and another's truck was hit by a car that didn't stop. More than a third of these crimes (38%) were vehicle thefts; in 25% of cases vehicles were vandalised;13% had their load stolen.
A shocking 4% of operators have been the victims of assault. However, perhaps reassuringly for the authorities, more than half (54%) said they were satisfied with the police response.