M42 Traffic Statistics
This page sums up how much traffic the M42 carries, using the Department for Transport road traffic statistics, 2025. Each figure is an annual average daily flow — how many motor vehicles cross an M42 count point on a typical day once the whole year is averaged out, counting northbound and southbound together unless we say otherwise.
The M42 in numbers
| Measure | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Count points on the M42 | 26 |
| Of which physically counted | 18 (the other 8 are estimated) |
| Busiest count point | 136,724 vehicles a day (J4 to J5) |
| Average across all 26 count points | 74,351 vehicles a day |
| Average across the 12 main-line stretches | about 109,000 vehicles a day |
| Road length | 40.0 miles (64.4 km) |
Why there are two averages
Of the 26 count points, 14 sit on 12 main-line stretches between junctions (two stretches are counted twice, and we use the busier point for each). The rest are on the short links and slip roads that join the M42 to the M5, the M40, the M6 and the M6 Toll, and the link from Junction 11 onto the A42. Some of those carry 10,000 to 20,000 vehicles a day, which pulls the overall average down to 74,351. If you want to know how busy the carriageway you are driving on is, the main-line figure of about 109,000 is the better guide.
What kind of traffic uses the M42
Added up across all 26 count points, the 2025 counts break down like this:
| Vehicle type | Share of traffic |
|---|---|
| Cars and taxis | 71.1% |
| Vans (light goods vehicles) | 16.9% |
| Lorries (heavy goods vehicles) | 11.7% |
The mix changes along the road. Around Solihull and the NEC cars make up about three-quarters of traffic. North of the M6, lorries and vans take a bigger share: between Junction 10 and Junction 11 lorries are 16.0% of traffic and vans 23.7%, the highest van share on any main-line stretch. More detail is on M42 lorry and freight traffic.
Two roads in one
The figures show the M42 behaving like two different roads. From the M5 to the M6, it is a busy commuter and airport route: every main-line stretch is above 98,000 vehicles a day and four are above 125,000. North of the M6 Toll links, it becomes a quieter through-route towards Tamworth and the East Midlands, falling to 79,468 between Junction 9 and Junction 10, and 67,744 between Junction 10 and Junction 11.
More on M42 traffic
- How busy is the M42? — every stretch, junction by junction.
- M42 lorry and freight traffic — HGVs and vans, stretch by stretch.
- Northbound and southbound — the one-direction figures.
Traffic count figures on this page are from the Department for Transport road traffic statistics, 2025.