M6 Toll protesters call for charges to be cut or scrapped

The six lane toll motorway is 27 miles (43kn) long

A protest has been staged on a bridge over the M6 Toll motorway in Staffordshire calling for the charges to be scrapped.

People living in Cheslyn Hay near Cannock claim their village is used as a cut through to avoid the toll.

Councillor Steve Hollis said unless the toll is reduced or abolished "things will get worse rather than better".

Midland Expressway, the company which runs the road, did not have a spokesperson available to comment.

Mr Hollis said: "As we've got a road that was supposed to be built as a relief road people should be able to use it free of charge."

The 27 mile (43km) six lane toll road runs around the north of Birmingham between junction 11a and junction 3a on the M6, and also links to the M42.

It opened in December 2003 and the standard toll for a car on weekdays is £5.50 or £11 for an HGV.

The protest was organised by the UK Independence Party.