M42 Accidents and Incidents
This page lists unplanned events on the M42 that we are aware of — collisions, breakdowns, debris, vehicle fires and similar — with the junctions and direction affected. Planned roadworks are kept separately so they do not crowd out what has just happened.
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Good news - no hold-ups reported on the M42 right now!
Looks like a clear run - have a safe and smooth journey.
Conditions can change, and not every hold-up is reported instantly, so do check back before you travel. Our traffic news updates automatically throughout the day.
Updated 03:47 Sat 26 Sept 2026
Powered by National Highways’ Transport Data Feeds.
What counts as an incident here
An incident is anything that was not planned: a collision, a broken-down vehicle, an object in the road, a closure put in place by the police or National Highways. Each item shows when it was reported and, where one is given, an expected end time. The wording comes from the information National Highways publishes.
If nothing is listed, no incident has been reported that we are aware of.
Where incidents on the M42 spread furthest
On the M42, an incident near an interchange can affect more than one motorway. The Department for Transport’s 2025 counts show about 129,000 vehicles a day just north of the M40 at Junction 3A, and about 128,000 between Junction 6 at the NEC and Junction 7 for the M6. An incident near either interchange can affect traffic joining from the M40 or the M6.
The stretch from Junction 3A to Junction 7 has variable speed limits and overhead signs. When there is an incident, the signs may show a lower limit or a closed lane ahead of it — see M42 overhead signs and M42 speed limits now.
If you are on your way to the airport or the NEC
Junction 6 serves Birmingham Airport, Birmingham International station and the NEC, and Junction 5A gives northbound traffic a second way into the airport via the A4545. If you have a flight or an event to catch, check this page and the Junctions 5A–6 page before you leave.
Reading the junction numbers
Incidents are reported between two junctions and in one direction. On the M42 the lettered junctions matter: an incident "between J7 and J7A" is on a very short stretch near the M6, and one at Junction 5A affects the link to the A4545 for the airport. The M42 junction map lists every junction in order, with what it connects to.
Your direction only
To see only your side of the road, use M42 northbound or M42 southbound. For everything at once, including roadworks, use the latest M42 traffic news.
Traffic count figures on this page are from the Department for Transport road traffic statistics, 2025.