Truck drivers will be able to used the M6 toll road for free during July following the outcome of negotiations between the Road Haulage Association and the M6 Toll road operator Midland Expressway.

This month-long trial will allow RHA members to have the benefit of the toll road without cost to see if it suits their business. The M6 is well-known as a route for traffic travelling through the Midlands and the number of junctions mean it is well suited to trucks making collections or deliveries to adjacent sites. In addition, the service area on the route is also useful as a stopping point; the truck parking area normally has plenty of space and is quiet at night.

Midland Expressway is making the offer available to all RHA members who are not currently account holders. It will run from Monday, July 1 for 31 days and will end at midnight on July 31. A special M6 Toll card pass will be issued, which drivers will show to toll assistants to gain free access to the road. It is anticipated that members in the trial will switch 100% of their usage from the M6 to the M6 Toll for the duration of the trial.

"This offer comes as a result of lengthy discussions between ourselves and Midlands Expressway as to how the road could be made more attractive to RHA members as a viable option", said RHA chief executive Geoff Dunning. "We are confident that the savings to be had in terms of reduced congestion and pollution will be considerable. It’s a great opportunity for members in the Midlands and further afield and we urge as many as possible to sign up to the free trial."