a motorway with 5 GCSEs, or a degree in tarmac? - well there are degrees of tarmac - some are almost concrete.

M6 toll. It's worth paying a few quid for a few miles of pleasant driving and missing out Birmingham.
While I would concur that missing out Birmingham (It missed out on a lot things - owr kid) is to be desired, but............ The M6 Toll misses out rural Staffordshire, and the cobbled parts of the M6. And Tam'th mah mon.
To experience the delights of the turnpike (from Lundun innit?) you have already traversed the more bucolic parts of Perry Barr, replete with spaghetti, or, via the M40/M42 - skirted the posher parts of Solihull that, er, um, well, has smart hard shoulders - to cry on.