The number of drivers using the M6 Toll has plummeted by almost 10 per cent in the first three months of 2008.

About 4,000 fewer drivers per day used the motorway between January and March, compared to the same period in 2007.

An average of 42,243 drivers a day took to the motorway in the first three months of last year, while 38,050 a day chose to use the route between January and March 2008, a drop of 4,193 motorists or 9.9 per cent per day, figures released by operator Midland Expressway revealed.

Price increases on the toll road, which were brought in at the beginning of this year, mean that cars now pay £4.50 to use the road at peak times, with vans and heavy goods vehicles having to shell out £9 between the hours of 6am and 11pm.

But the company has put the dwindling user figures down to the fact that there were fewer working days during the three-month period at the beginning of 2008 than during the same period last year.

The March quarter of this year had three extra non-workdays as well as two fewer workdays compared to the corresponding quarter of 2007, it pointed out.

Read more in the Express & StarThe number of drivers using the M6 Toll has plummeted by almost 10 per cent in the first three months of 2008.

About 4,000 fewer drivers per day used the motorway between January and March, compared to the same period in 2007.

An average of 42,243 drivers a day took to the motorway in the first three months of last year, while 38,050 a day chose to use the route between January and March 2008, a drop of 4,193 motorists or 9.9 per cent per day, figures released by operator Midland Expressway revealed.

Price increases on the toll road, which were brought in at the beginning of this year, mean that cars now pay £4.50 to use the road at peak times, with vans and heavy goods vehicles having to shell out £9 between the hours of 6am and 11pm.

But the company has put the dwindling user figures down to the fact that there were fewer working days during the three-month period at the beginning of 2008 than during the same period last year.

The March quarter of this year had three extra non-workdays as well as two fewer workdays compared to the corresponding quarter of 2007, it pointed out.And according to Midland Expressway, the early timing of the Easter holiday period and associated school holidays has had a negative impact on traffic using on the M6 Toll route.

This year, Easter fell during the third week of March, and the school holiday began the following week. During 2007, both fell in April and did not impact on M6 Toll traffic during the March quarter.

The firm also said roadworks on the southbound lanes of the competing M6 near junction 8 during the first part of last year saw more drivers opting to use the toll road between January and March 2007.

Midland Expressway’s chief executive Tom Fanning said: “We do not believe that the price increase has had a detrimental effect on traffic.

“Traffic has been affected by the early fall of Easter this year and as a consequence a lower number of workdays. This situation was expected and we anticipate an increase throughout the year as in other years.”

By Kerry McDermott