The company that runs the M6 Toll has fallen further into the red, racking up losses of almost £50 million.

At the same time Midland Expressway has revealed that daily traffic figures are down again, falling 13 per cent between April and the end of June.

It comes in the wake of the latest price hikes for using the 27-mile pay-as-you-go motorway. It now costs £10.60 for HGVs and £5.30 for cars.

Midland Expressway blamed the weak economy and the rising cost of fuel for the drop in traffic, down to an average of 35,852 vehicles a day in the second three months of this year from 41,195 for the same period in 2010.

The route was also hit by improved conditions on the M6 after completion of the latest section of hard-shoulder running between junctions 8 and 10a in March.

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