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| Ukip says it would scrap plans for more toll motorways and roll back charges on the M6 | Ukip says it would scrap plans for more toll motorways and roll back charges on the M6 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ukip would scrap toll roads and block the introduction of new charges for using motorways, the party’s transport spokesperson has said. | Ukip would scrap toll roads and block the introduction of new charges for using motorways, the party’s transport spokesperson has said. |
| Britain currently only has one toll road, the M6 Toll, which runs parallel with the M6 near Birmingham, but others are planned. | Britain currently only has one toll road, the M6 Toll, which runs parallel with the M6 near Birmingham, but others are planned. |
| Last summer the Welsh Government announced that a similar tolled relief road on the M4 would go ahead and be completed by 2022. It is also backed by the government in Westminster. | Last summer the Welsh Government announced that a similar tolled relief road on the M4 would go ahead and be completed by 2022. It is also backed by the government in Westminster. |
| Jill Seymour MEP, Ukip’s transport spokesperson, said the party would try to “strip back” existing tolls. | Jill Seymour MEP, Ukip’s transport spokesperson, said the party would try to “strip back” existing tolls. |
| “Our message is clear – this is highway robbery and charging drivers to use our busiest trunk roads and motorways is a hammer blow to the motorist,” she said. | “Our message is clear – this is highway robbery and charging drivers to use our busiest trunk roads and motorways is a hammer blow to the motorist,” she said. |
| “Our aim is to block the introduction of any new toll roads and to start work to strip back existing tolls on publicly owned roads. | “Our aim is to block the introduction of any new toll roads and to start work to strip back existing tolls on publicly owned roads. |
| “We pay enough in taxes in this country as it is – we should be able to afford a top-class road network, not be hammered in further charges so the Government can help fund schemes such as the HS2 project.” | “We pay enough in taxes in this country as it is – we should be able to afford a top-class road network, not be hammered in further charges so the Government can help fund schemes such as the HS2 project.” |
| Four Ukip prospective parliamentary candidates attended a protest against the M6 Toll last week. | Four Ukip prospective parliamentary candidates attended a protest against the M6 Toll last week. |
| But Midland Expressway Ltd, the company which runs the motorway, accused the party of misunderstanding the private nature of the road. | |
| “Clearly UKIP fail to understand the economics and the financial arrangement appertaining to the M6toll. The road is entirely financed from within the private sector and not one penny of taxpayer money is involved,” the company's CEO Tom Fanning told The Independent. | “Clearly UKIP fail to understand the economics and the financial arrangement appertaining to the M6toll. The road is entirely financed from within the private sector and not one penny of taxpayer money is involved,” the company's CEO Tom Fanning told The Independent. |
| “It remains customers’ choice to use our service or not and up to 50,000 happy customers continue choose to use our service every workday despite the hundreds of millions that have been spent from the public purse on improving the M6.” | “It remains customers’ choice to use our service or not and up to 50,000 happy customers continue choose to use our service every workday despite the hundreds of millions that have been spent from the public purse on improving the M6.” |
| He described the service provided by the road as "world class". | He described the service provided by the road as "world class". |
| The 'relief road' opened in 2003 and is run by a private company, meaning Ukip would have to convince or force the business that operates it – Midland Expressway Ltd – to end the charges. | The 'relief road' opened in 2003 and is run by a private company, meaning Ukip would have to convince or force the business that operates it – Midland Expressway Ltd – to end the charges. |
| “M6 Toll is a private investment and I am not in a position to intervene to lower the charges,” transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin warned late last year according to local newspaper the Birmingham Mail. | “M6 Toll is a private investment and I am not in a position to intervene to lower the charges,” transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin warned late last year according to local newspaper the Birmingham Mail. |
| The road, which has under-performed expectations in terms of vehicles carried, is due to pass into government hands in 2054 when the company’s contract expires. | The road, which has under-performed expectations in terms of vehicles carried, is due to pass into government hands in 2054 when the company’s contract expires. |