M6toll motorway debtholders tap UBS for potential $2.75 bln exit -sources

(Adds no comment from UBS (NYSEArca: FBGX - news) )

By Freya Berry

LONDON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Lenders in Britain's M6toll motorway are seeking an exit and are working with UBS on a potential deal they hope will recoup them some 1.9 billion pounds ($2.75 billion) of debt, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The sale has not yet launched but is likely to appeal to infrastructure funds and other motorway companies, the people added.

Among the creditors are Commerzbank (Xetra: CBK100 - news) , Credit Agricole and Portugal's Novo Banco.

A spokeswoman for the M6toll declined to comment. UBS declined to comment.

Originally built to ease congestion on the non-tolled M6, M6toll struggled with a heavy debt pile from Australian financial group Macquarie and entered into restructuring in late 2013.

As well as the 1.9 billion pounds held by creditors, the M6toll also has a 180 million pound liability to the government Land Fund for use of the land in the West Midlands which the motorway uses.

A new owner may pay off the liability or roll it over, one of the people said.

The 43-kilometre road -- the UK's first pay-as-you-go motorway -- is operated by Midland Expressway, which is owned by Australia's Macquarie Atlas Roads. It was opened in 2003 after the company won a 900 million pound contract to build and maintain the road until 2054.

The road saw almost 48,000 users a day on average in the three months to December, with overall traffic up 14.4 percent on the same period last year. ($1 = 0.6918 pounds) (Reporting By Freya Berry; editing by Pamela Barbaglia, Susanna Twidale and Adrian Croft)