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Greens warn of more tolls

16th September 2004
Page 12
Page 12, 16th September 2004 — Greens warn of more tolls
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If the M6 "Expressway" gets the go-ahead as an effective jam buster, should we support more of the same? Guy Sheppard reports.

A STRING OF toll roads could be built alongside existing motorways if the concept is first adopted on the M6. warns an environmental pressure group.

The Government is consulting on plans to build a dual-lane "Expressway" between Birmingham and Manchester, saying it would be less costly and disruptive than widening the M6.

But Paul Hamblin, head of transport policy for the Campaign to Protect Rural England, says operators need to be aware of the wider implications before backing the scheme: "Were this to get the green light the Government would see this as a way of almost getting a free ride at the expense of those who pay the tolls.

"It may well be that there would be additional road expansion but it would come at a high cost to freight operators in terms of the tolls they would have to pay."

He suggests that the Ml. M25, M3 and M4 could be prime candidates for toll schemes if the M6 Expressway gets the go-ahead and argues that this would cause unacceptable environmental damage and work against other Government policies.

The FreightTransportAssociation has welcomed the M6 proposal, provided tolls are set at a reasonable level. But the Road Haulage Association claims that toll roads do not benefit the country as a whole (CM 8 July).

Consultation about the M6 Expressway ends on 21 October, although ministers insist it is little more than a "broad concept" at present and no decisions have been made as to who might construct or operate it.

Tags

Organisations: Road Haulage Association
Locations: Birmingham, Manchester

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