Serious incident closes M42 in both directions
Drivers were delayed for more than an hour in morning rush hour after a serious incident closed the M42 in both directions.
The Central Motorway Police Group, West Mercia Police and West Midlands Ambulance Service also rushed to the incident, which closed the motorway between junction 2 (Birmingham (S), Hopwood Park, A441) and junction 3 (Birmingham (S), Redditch, Evesham, A435).
Lanes were reopened around 8.15am, but there were long tailbacks on the M42 and nearby roads.
#M42 NOW OPEN both ways btwn J2 #Hopwood, #Birmingham (South) and J3 #Redditch, 1 lane (of 3) remains closed on the northbound carriageway and all lanes are open southbound. Long delays remain from J1 northbound and J3a (#M40) southbound but these will start easing now. pic.twitter.com/KYEGczMH8z
— Highways England (@HighwaysWMIDS) April 5, 2018
Highways Englands advised road users to allow additional time for their journeys if planning on using the M42 or local roads in the area.
The northbound told drivers to exit at J2 and follow the route marked with a hollow triangle symbol on local road signs. This will take traffic via the A441 southbound, A4023 eastbound and the A435 northbound to J3. The southbound diversion is marked with a hollow square symbol on local road signs and follows the above route in reverse (A435 southbound, A4023 westbound and A441 northbound to J2).
