M42 Northbound Traffic
If you are travelling north on the M42 — from the M5 or the M40 towards Solihull, the NEC and Birmingham Airport, the M6, the M6 Toll and Tamworth — this page covers your carriageway. On a map the M42 runs from south-west to north-east, but National Highways calls this direction northbound.
Heading the other way? See M42 southbound traffic »
Search all the latest M42 traffic news →
Latest accident or incident on the M42
The most recent accident or incident on the M42 that we are aware of.
Latest active roadworks on the M42
Roadworks live on the M42 right now.
Lane 1 closure northbound (closing ERA)
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
+ 1 more active roadworks - search all M42 traffic news →
Latest planned roadworks on the M42
The next planned roadworks scheduled on the M42.
M6 - M42 link road lane closure southbound
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
+ 11 more planned roadworks - search all M42 traffic news →
Search all the latest M42 traffic news →
Updated 03:52 Sat 26 Sept 2026
Powered by National Highways’ Transport Data Feeds.
How busy is the M42 northbound?
The Department for Transport counts the M42 separately in each direction. For the stretches between the M5 and Junction 3A it records the direction as eastbound, and from Junction 3A onwards as northbound. By junction order, eastbound on those first stretches is the same carriageway as northbound, so we show them together here.
| Stretch (northbound) | Vehicles per day | Lorries |
|---|---|---|
| M5 J4A to J1 | 47,517 | 5,676 |
| J1 to J2 | 55,820 | 5,887 |
| J2 to J3 | 54,901 | 5,700 |
| J3 to J3A | 59,567 | 6,020 |
| J3A to J4 | 62,738 | 7,370 |
| J4 to J5 | 66,771 | 7,002 |
| J5 to J6 | 51,824 | 5,870 |
| J6 to J7 | 63,981 | 7,012 |
| J7 to J7A | 48,446 | 6,018 |
| J8 to J9 | 55,839 | 8,783 |
| J9 to J10 | 41,519 | 6,099 |
| J10 to J11 | 34,111 | 5,298 |
J3A to J4 and J10 to J11 are each counted at two points. For J3A to J4 we use the same count point as the two-way and southbound figures on this site; the other point recorded 63,059 northbound. For J10 to J11 we show the busier northbound figure; the other was 33,663.
What stands out northbound
Northbound traffic rises across Junction 3A, the M40 interchange, from 59,567 vehicles a day before the junction to 62,738 after it. The busiest northbound stretch is Junction 4 to Junction 5, at 66,771 vehicles a day on this side alone.
North of the M6, the northbound side becomes the busier one. Between Junction 8 and Junction 9 it carries 55,839 vehicles a day against 48,894 southbound, and 8,783 lorries — the most lorries on either carriageway anywhere on the road.
Where northbound drivers leave
Junction 5A is a northbound exit for the A4545 and Birmingham Airport. At Junction 7 northbound traffic can leave for the M6 north, at Junction 7A for the M6 towards Coventry and the M1, and at Junction 9 for the M6 Toll. The junction map has the details.
Traffic count figures on this page are from the Department for Transport road traffic statistics, 2025.