National Highways has issued a warning to drivers in the West Midlands about a series of overnight closures on the M6 and M5 motorways from Monday, July 27, to Sunday, August 2. The closures, which affect carriageways, slip roads, and link roads, are scheduled to minimise daytime disruption but will still cause delays for night-time travellers.
Why the Work Is Needed
The West Midlands hosts some of the busiest motorway stretches in the UK and Europe. Millions of journeys are made each week on the M6, M5, M42, and M54, with the region serving as a central hub connecting all parts of the country. Regular maintenance is essential to ensure these routes remain safe, smooth, and efficient. National Highways, responsible for England's motorways, has released the schedule for the week commencing July 27, covering Birmingham, the Black Country, and surrounding counties.
Schedule of Closures
All closures are planned overnight, typically from 9pm to 6am or 5am the following morning. Below is the day-by-day breakdown.
Monday, July 27
- M6 southbound Junction 2 exit slip road closure from 9pm Monday until 6am Tuesday.
Tuesday, July 28
- M5 northbound Junction 4 to Junction 3 carriageway closure from 9pm Tuesday until 6am Wednesday.
- M5 northbound Junction 1 to M6 Junction 8, eastern arm north, carriageway closure from 9pm Tuesday until 6am Wednesday.
Wednesday, July 29
- M5 northbound Junction 4 to Junction 3 carriageway closure from 9pm Wednesday until 6am Thursday.
- M5 northbound Junction 1 to M6 Junction 8, eastern arm north, carriageway closure from 9pm Wednesday until 6am Thursday.
- M5 northbound Junction 1 to M6 Junction 8, western arm north, carriageway closure from 9pm Wednesday until 6am Thursday.
Thursday, July 30
- M5 northbound Junction 4 to Junction 3 carriageway closure from 9pm Thursday until 6am Friday.
- M5 southbound Junction 2 entry slip road closure from 9pm Thursday until 6am Friday.
- M6 northbound Junction 12 entry slip road closure from 9pm Thursday until 6am Friday.
- M6 southbound Junction 10 to Junction 7 carriageway closure from 9pm Thursday until 5am Friday.
- M6 southbound Junction 8 to M5 southbound Junction 1 link road closure, western arm south, from 9pm Thursday until 5am Friday.
Friday, July 31
- M5 northbound Junction 4 to Junction 3 carriageway closure from 9pm Friday until 6am Saturday.
- M5 northbound Junction 9 entry slip road closure from 9pm Friday until 6am Saturday.
- M6 southbound Junction 10 to Junction 7 carriageway closure from 9pm Friday until 5am Saturday.
- M6 southbound Junction 8 to M5 southbound Junction 1 link road closure, western arm south, from 9pm Friday until 5am Saturday.
Saturday, August 1
- M6 northbound Junction 3 between the exit and entry slip roads carriageway closure from 9pm Saturday until 6am Sunday.
- M6 northbound Junction 5 exit slip road closure from 9pm Saturday until 6am Sunday.
- M6 southbound Junction 10 to Junction 7 carriageway closure from 9pm Saturday until 5am Sunday.
- M6 southbound Junction 8 to M5 southbound Junction 1 link road closure, western arm south, from 9pm Saturday until 5am Sunday. (Note: original lists this under Friday but repeats Saturday; corrected per original schedule.)
Sunday, August 2
- M6 southbound Junction 10 to Junction 7 carriageway closure from 9pm Sunday until 5am Monday.
- M6 southbound Junction 8 to M5 southbound Junction 1 link road closure, western arm south, from 9pm Sunday until 5am Monday.
Impact and Advice
Drivers are advised to plan alternative routes or allow extra travel time during these night-time closures. National Highways typically schedules such work at night to minimise disruption to the millions of daily users. However, the cumulative effect of multiple simultaneous closures could still cause significant delays, particularly on the M6 around junctions 7 to 10 and M5 near junctions 1 to 4. Motorists are encouraged to check live traffic updates before setting out.
