This article was in last night’s Express & Star and is further proof, if ever we needed it, that the M6 Toll has been an abject failure. “Instead of spending £Millions on the Birmingham Traffic Management System the Highways Agency would better serve those living by and using the “Birmingham Box” section of the M6 by de-tolling the M6 Toll” commented Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires.

“The number of motorists paying to drive through the West Midlands on the M6 Toll has plummeted by more than 10 per cent, new figures have revealed.

The latest traffic statistics for the pay-as-you-go road reveal that 4,000 fewer vehicles used the motorway each weekday between January and March this year compared to the same period during 2008.

It is the seventh successive quarter of falls in traffic, and despite rises in toll prices the motorways’ revenue has also dipped by 5.3 per cent.

The figures are almost 40 per cent down on the roads peak traffic level in the third quarter of 2006.

The National Alliance Against Tolls (NAAT) has called for the toll to be scrapped in order to tackle congestion across the Midlands and said the price would be worth paying for the benefit it would bring.

For weekdays during the months January to March this year the toll attracted 39,105 vehicles compared to 43,828 for the same period last year, which is a drop of 10.8 per cent.

It was worse on weekends and public holidays when the figures were down 14.2 per cent from 25,697 in 2008 to just 22,055 in 2009.

Across all days the M6 Toll saw a drop in traffic of 10.7 per cent.

In the same three months the amount of money made by operators Midland Expressway was down from £149,282 in 2008 to £141,443, a fall of 5.3 per cent.

A new price rise came into effect on January 1 with motorbikes paying £2.70 on weekdays and £2.50 at weekends. Cars pay £4.70 on weekdays, and £4.50 at weekends and HGVs pay £9.40 weekdays and £9 on weekends.

John McGoldrick, spokesman for NAAT said: “Traffic will be lower on many roads due to the economy, but this road is almost empty compared with the main M6.

“The road was built to relieve congestion.”

A spokesman for the M6 Toll said: “The average daily traffic on the M6 Toll continues to be impacted by the weak UK economy and improved network capacity.”