M42 Junctions 7 to 9 (M6, M6 Toll and Coleshill)
Between Junction 7 and Junction 9, near Coleshill, the M42 crosses the M6 and connects with the southern end of the M6 Toll. Most of the junctions here only work in one direction, so it is worth knowing which one you need before you arrive.
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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.
Which junction does what
- Junction 7 — northbound exit for the M6 north towards central and north-west Birmingham. Southbound it is an on-slip only.
- Junction 7A — northbound exit for the M6 towards Coventry, and the M1 for London. It is a TOTSO junction southbound.
- Junction 8 — southbound exit for the M6 north towards Birmingham. Northbound it is an on-slip only.
- Junction 9 — northbound exit for the M6 Toll (the North West, Cannock, Lichfield). The signs here also point to Coleshill on the A446 and Kingsbury on the A4097. The variable speed limit ends just after this junction northbound.
The section between Junction 7A and Junction 9 was rebuilt as part of the M6 Toll works and now forms the link between the M6 and the southern end of the toll road, which opened in 2003.
How busy is the main line?
| Stretch | Vehicles per day | Northbound | Southbound | Lorries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J7 to J7A | 99,354 | 48,446 | 50,908 | 10,902 |
| J8 to J9 | 104,732 | 55,839 | 48,894 | 16,242 |
The DfT labels these "LA boundary to 7a" and "M6 Toll and M42 Interchange North of Gilson – Junction 8 to M42 Junction 9". Junction 8 to Junction 9 carries more lorries than any other stretch of the M42, and is one of the few where northbound is busier than southbound.
The link roads
The DfT also counts the links in this area. We give them in the DfT’s own words, as the labels do not map neatly onto single slip roads:
| DfT description | Vehicles per day |
|---|---|
| M42 and M6 Interchange 4a to M42 N and S Interchange M6 Toll | 53,431 (estimated) |
| Junction 7a to M6 Toll, southbound | 48,066 |
| Junction 7a to M6 Toll, northbound | 39,598 (estimated) |
| M42 to M6 Toll North | 31,420 (estimated) |
| M42 to M6 Toll South | 16,566 (estimated) |
Three further short count points in this area, recorded without a start or end name, carry between 10,545 and 15,535 vehicles a day.
Where to next
For the M6 and the M6 Toll themselves, see M6 Traffic. On the M42, heading north: Junctions 10–11, Tamworth and the A42. Heading south: Junctions 5A–6, the airport and the NEC.
Traffic count figures on this page are from the Department for Transport road traffic statistics, 2025.