Highways England calling on public to help shape new M42 junction

Highways England plans to improve traffic flows at an important junction for the millions of people that travel to Birmingham International Airport every year and also surrounding venues such as the National Exhibition Centre.

The project, due to start in 2020, will see the creation of a new 2.4km dual carriageway link road – aligned to the west of Bickenhill – between the A45 Clock Interchange and a new junction on the M42 south of junction 6 located north of Solihull Road.

We are inviting everyone to have their say on the details at a public consultation running from 9 January 2018 until 19 February 2018 on the preferred route for M42 junction 6.

Highways England senior project manager, Jonathan Pizzey, said

We want to make sure that local people and other stakeholders have a say in the project.

We’ll be taking all comments into consideration as we complete the design, prior to making a planning application later in 2018. All comments will be considered, and we will provide a report identifying how they have influenced the design.

As part of the scheme there are also plans to improve traffic flow at the M42 junction 6 roundabout - a well-known bottleneck - by providing dedicated left turn links between the M42 and A45 at the NEC and the north east side of the roundabout. This will benefit motorists by reducing congestion and improving journey times around the junction, as well as access to and from the motorway.

We will continue to work closely with all stakeholders through the detailed design and statutory process to ensure their views and ideas are incorporated into the design where appropriate.

Construction is expected to start in 2020 and completion is due in 2023; subject to DCO approval in 2019.

For a copy of the preferred route announcement leaflet and more information about the scheme, visit the M42 junction 6 Improvement website.