Commuters and holiday travellers faced severe disruption on Thursday morning after a police-led incident caused major delays on the M6 motorway near Birmingham.
Incident Details and Location
The incident occurred at approximately 9am on Thursday, December 18, 2025. It took place on the M6 southbound carriageway between Junction 7 for Great Barr and Junction 6, the famous Spaghetti Junction interchange. This junction provides access to the A38(M) for Birmingham city centre, as well as routes to Sutton Coldfield and Erdington.
According to National Highways, the closure was necessary for the recovery of a vehicle following the police-led event. Officers from West Midlands Police remained on the scene to manage the situation. Both West Midlands Police and the West Midlands Ambulance Service were involved in the response, though specific details of the incident were not immediately released.
Severe Traffic Consequences
The blockage caused significant knock-on effects across the region's road network. Lane four of the four southbound lanes was closed, creating a bottleneck during the morning rush hour.
This led to six-mile tailbacks, with queues stretching northwards from the incident site all the way back to Junction 10, which serves Walsall and Wolverhampton. Traffic information service Inrix reported the lane had been blocked for around 40 minutes, leading to what they described as "severe delays".
While the northbound carriageway was reopened, the residual southbound closure meant drivers were facing delay times of up to 40 minutes. Heavy traffic was clearly visible on motorway cameras monitoring the area.
Ongoing Disruption and Advice
The incident caused queuing traffic in both directions as rubbernecking slowed northbound travel. West Midlands Roads and National Highways both issued warnings to motorists to expect long delays or to seek alternative routes if possible.
National Highways stated: "Lane 4 (of 4) is closed on the M6 southbound between J7 and J6 due for recovery of a car following a police led incident. Police are on scene."
Such incidents highlight the vulnerability of key transport corridors like the M6, especially during peak travel periods close to the Christmas holiday. Drivers were advised to check live traffic updates before commencing their journeys.
