Latest M42 traffic news, updates and roadworks

M42 Traffic

M42 Traffic News

0Accidentsnone reported on the M42 that we are aware of2Roadworks activelive on the M42 right now — see details12Plannedscheduled on the M42 — see details

Live M42 traffic data from National Highways · updated 03:52 Sat 26 Sept 2026

M42

Latest M42 Traffic News and Updates

This is the complete list of M42 news we are aware of right now, in both directions, from the M5 at Bromsgrove to Junction 11 at Appleby Magna. It is refreshed through the day from National Highways' data. Use the filters to narrow it to incidents, roadworks or signs.

16 matching items - showing 1-10 of 16 total available news items

  • Lane 1 closure northbound (closing ERA)

    Active nowRoadworksNorthbound
    Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:52

    03:3926 Sept 2026reported 12 min ago

    Location
    M42 northbound between J3A and J4
    Direction
    Northbound
    Lanes closed
    Lane closures
    Reason
    Maintenance work
    Schedule
    02:30 Tue 14 July 2026 → 06:00 Thu 31 Dec 2026
    ⏳Long-term works - HA planned end: 06:00 Thu 31 Dec 2026.

  • Hardshoulder closure northbound

    Active nowRoadworksNorthbound
    Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:52

    03:3926 Sept 2026reported 12 min ago

    Location
    M42 northbound within J6
    Direction
    Northbound
    Lanes closed
    Hard shoulder closed
    Reason
    Maintenance work
    Schedule
    05:46 Tue 19 May 2026 → 06:00 Mon 4 Jan 2027
    ⏳Long-term works - HA planned end: 06:00 Mon 4 Jan 2027.

  • link road from M6 J4A southbound to M42 J8 southbound

    In force now50 mph limitSouthboundLink road at J4A
    Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:52

    10:4723 Sept 2026set 3 days ago⚠ 3 days old✓ Checked by us 03:52

    WhereM42 southbound, Link road at J4A · on 1 signal
    WhyM6 - M42 link road lane closure southbound
    Also atM42 southbound between J7A and J7
    SinceSet 10:47 Wed 23 Sept 2026
    We check these speed signals at least every five minutes. A number in a red ring is a mandatory speed limit; a number on its own is advisory. Always follow the signals you can see on the road.

  • link road from M6 J4A southbound to M42 J8

    In force now50 mph limitNorthboundLink road at J4A
    Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:52

    10:4723 Sept 2026set 3 days ago⚠ 3 days old✓ Checked by us 03:52

    WhereM42 northbound, Link road at J4A · on 1 signal
    WhyM6 - M42 link road hardshoulder closure northbound
    Also atlink road from M6 J4A southbound to M42 J8 northbound; link road from M6 J4A southbound to M42 J8 southbound; M42 northbound between J8 and J9; M6 southbound between J5 and J4A
    SinceSet 10:47 Wed 23 Sept 2026
    We check these speed signals at least every five minutes. A number in a red ring is a mandatory speed limit; a number on its own is advisory. Always follow the signals you can see on the road.

  • M6 - M42 link road lane closure southbound

    PlannedRoadworksSouthbound
    Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:52

    03:3926 Sept 2026reported 12 min ago

    Location
    link road from M6 J4A southbound to M42 J8 southbound
    Direction
    Southbound
    Lanes closed
    Lane closures
    Reason
    Road improvement or upgrading
    Schedule
    05:00 Mon 7 Sept 2026 → 05:00 Mon 5 Oct 2026

    Forecast - not confirmed

    🚧HA scheduled: 05:00 Mon 7 Sept 2026 → 05:00 Mon 5 Oct 2026 underway until 05:00 Mon 5 Oct 2026

  • Lane 2 closure northbound

    PlannedUpdateNorthbound
    Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:52

    03:3926 Sept 2026reported 12 min ago

    Location
    M42 northbound between J9 and J10
    Direction
    Northbound
    Lanes closed
    Lane closures
    Reason
    Other
    Schedule
    21:00 Fri 25 Sept 2026 → 06:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026

    Forecast - not confirmed

    🚧HA scheduled: 21:00 Fri 25 Sept 2026 → 06:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026 underway until 06:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026

  • M42 northbound Jct 10 to Jct 11 carriageway closure

    PlannedUpdateNorthbound Road closed
    Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:52

    03:3926 Sept 2026reported 12 min ago

    Location
    M42 northbound between J10 and J11
    Direction
    Northbound
    Lanes closed
    Carriageway closed
    Reason
    Other
    Schedule
    21:00 Fri 25 Sept 2026 → 06:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026

    Forecast - not confirmed

    🚧HA scheduled: 21:00 Fri 25 Sept 2026 → 06:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026 underway until 06:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026

  • Lanes 1 and 2 closure northbound

    PlannedRoadworksNorthbound
    Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:52

    03:3926 Sept 2026reported 12 min ago

    Location
    M42 northbound within J6
    Direction
    Northbound
    Lanes closed
    Lane closures
    Reason
    Tree and vegetation cutting work
    Schedule
    21:00 Fri 25 Sept 2026 → 06:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026

    Forecast - not confirmed

    🚧HA scheduled: 21:00 Fri 25 Sept 2026 → 06:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026 underway until 06:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026

  • Lanes closures northbound

    PlannedRoadworksNorthbound
    Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:52

    03:3926 Sept 2026reported 12 min ago

    Location
    M42 northbound between J5 and J6
    Direction
    Northbound
    Lanes closed
    Restriction
    Reason
    Maintenance work
    Schedule
    21:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026 → 04:00 Sun 27 Sept 2026

    Forecast - not confirmed

    🚧HA scheduled: 21:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026 → 04:00 Sun 27 Sept 2026 starts in about 17 hours · lasts ~7h 00m

  • Lanes closures southbound

    PlannedRoadworksSouthbound
    Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:52

    03:3926 Sept 2026reported 12 min ago

    Location
    M42 southbound between J7 and J6
    Direction
    Southbound
    Lanes closed
    Restriction
    Reason
    Maintenance work
    Schedule
    21:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026 → 04:00 Sun 27 Sept 2026

    Forecast - not confirmed

    🚧HA scheduled: 21:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026 → 04:00 Sun 27 Sept 2026 starts in about 17 hours · lasts ~7h 00m

    • Updated 03:52 Sat 26 Sept 2026

    Powered by National Highways’ Transport Data Feeds.

    How to read an M42 news item

    Each card gives the junctions affected, the direction, what has been reported and, where National Highways has supplied one, an expected end time. Where we show a countdown such as "about 40 minutes from now", it is worked out from National Highways’ own stated end time, which is shown alongside it.

    If the list is empty, nothing has been reported that we are aware of. That is an honest statement about the information we hold, not a promise that every lane is moving.

    Why the junction numbers matter on the M42

    The M42 has several lettered junctions, and some of them only work in one direction. Junction 3A is the M40 interchange. Junction 5A, opened in December 2024, links to the A4545 for Birmingham Airport and Birmingham Business Park. Junction 7A is the link to the M6 towards Coventry and the M1. Junctions 7, 8 and 9 are all partly one-way connections to the M6 and the M6 Toll. So "between J7 and J9" can mean quite different things depending on which way you are going — the M42 junction map spells out each one.

    Narrow it down

    Where the M42 meets other roads

    A queue on the M42 often begins on a road that feeds it. If you are coming from the south-west, check M5 traffic. From London and Oxfordshire, check M40 traffic. For the M6 and the M6 Toll north of Coleshill, see M6 traffic, and if you are continuing up the A42 to the East Midlands, see M1 traffic or Traffic News England for the A42 itself.

    Check the rest of the M42

    Latest M42 traffic news · M42 roadworks · M42 accidents · M42 closures tonight

    M42traffic.co.uk covers the M42 from the M5 at Bromsgrove to the A42 at Appleby Magna, past Solihull, the NEC, Birmingham Airport and Tamworth. It links to the M40, M6 and M5 — sister sites in the same network.