A BUSY motorway used by over 120,000 motors every day is set to close across two weekends, sparking disruption for millions.
The route serves one of the UK’s busiest airports and has already been voted the worst in the nation.
Drivers have been warned to expect lengthy delays over a “full weekend” of closures along a vital section of the M42.
Anyone planning to travel between J6 in Solihull and J7 and 7a at the Coleshill Interchange is advised to allow for extra time to make their journey.
Significantly, this includes visitors to Birmingham Airport and the city’s NEC, both of which are accessed from the West via the M42.
The entire carriageway along that segment will be closed over two separate weekends next month.
This will allow “complex” engineering works to take place in the area.
There will be “signed diversion routes” in place, taking drivers around the shutdowns.
We are urging people to avoid the area if possible
National Highways
Drivers going northbound will be redirected via the A446, while southbound traffic can choose between that route or the M6.
The restrictions are part of a series of three shutdowns to allow the work to be completed safely.
The first closure has already been and gone, lasting from 9pm on November 1 to 5am on November 4.
But two more are planned for next month, covering the weekends of December 6 and December 13.
These will keep the same hours as the first closure, meaning the carriageway will be unavailable across the entirety of both weekends.
However, drivers might not be happy to discover that the work isn’t even primarily to improve the road network.
The junctions are being closed off so that a section of the heavily-delayed HS2 rail line can be built running alongside the motorway.
Trains are not set to begin running until at least 2029, with the line connecting London to Birmingham by 2033.
And even when the road closures finish, there will be an adjusted speed limit of 50mph between J6 and J7/7a while final works are completed.
That being said, National Highways has confirmed that an additional £282 million will be invested in improving J6 to “increase capacity, reduce congestion, improve access to Birmingham Airport…and improve access for cyclists and walkers.”
A spokesperson for the agency said: “We are working closely with HS2 to ensure the impact on our roads and our road users is minimised as far as possible.
“But this is a complex engineering operation and we need to close the road to enable HS2 to carry out their work safely.
“This will inevitably cause some disruption and delays to journeys are expected so we are urging people to avoid the area if possible during the closures.
“If you aren’t able to take an alternative route, please allow extra time for journeys, particularly if heading to Birmingham Airport or the NEC, and follow the signed diversion routes.”
