M6 Toll T3 to T6 cost
The middle 2-zone stretch of the M6 Toll, from T3 (Lichfield south / A38) to T6 (Norton Canes / A5). £9.10 for a car contactless. Most common user case: traffic running between the A38 corridor (Tamworth, Drayton Manor, southern Lichfield) and the A5 corridor (Cannock, Hednesford, Norton Canes services).
T3 to T6 prices
| Vehicle | Standard | Breeze |
|---|---|---|
| Motorbike | £4.70 | £4.00 |
| Car | £9.10 | £8.00 |
| Car + trailer / van | £13.70 | £11.90 |
| HGV / coach | £16.80 | £15.00 |
Who uses the T3-T6 stretch
T3 to T6 (and the reverse) is the cross-Staffordshire shortcut that the M6 Toll provides for traffic that does not need to go all the way to or from Birmingham.
Tamworth-area to Cannock
Workers commuting from Tamworth or south Lichfield to a Cannock business park. The 2-zone toll plus the A5 / A38 connections at each end is faster than the free alternative through the A5 itself.
Drayton Manor day-trippers from Cannock area
Coming southbound from Cannock or Hednesford, T6 to T3 plus the A4091 east is the fastest route. £8 on Breeze, around 25 minutes.
HGV cross-routing
Hauliers using the M6 Toll as a Birmingham cut-through, but with depots at the Tamworth or Cannock end, exit at T3 or T6 rather than running the full route.
The free A5 alternative
The free alternative to T3-T6 on the M6 Toll is the A5 itself, which runs roughly parallel through Brownhills and Cannock. It is a single-carriageway and dual-carriageway mix with several roundabouts, traffic-light controlled junctions and a 50 mph average-speed enforcement zone near Cannock. Compared with the M6 Toll equivalent, the free A5 route is:
- 5 to 10 minutes longer at most times of day, and 15 to 25 minutes longer in peak traffic.
- Considerably less predictable with multiple junctions that queue at school-run and rush hours.
- Free, with no toll cost, which can tip the balance for off-peak, low-time-pressure trips.
See the full breakdown on the alternatives page.
The Drayton Manor on a Cannock weekend
Reverse direction worked example. A family in Cannock heading to Drayton Manor on a Saturday morning in July. The choice: A5 / A38 free route (around 35 minutes), or M6 Toll T6 to T3 plus A4091 (around 20 minutes, £9.10 toll).
The 15 minutes saved is the headline. The bigger gain on a hot summer Saturday is arrival mood: kids less restive, parents less stressed, queue for theme-park entry shorter because you arrived in the first-wave window. The £9.10 buys that, plus a £2.40 saving on a Breeze account if the family does the trip more than 8 to 10 times a season.