Shocking pictures show damage to M42 bridge near Birmingham as drivers warned to take extra care

Drivers are being urged to allow extra time for journeys after bridge over the M42 near Birmingham was damaged in two separate collisions.

The bridge between Junctions 6 and 7 has been damaged after being hit twice in one week, the National Highways have announced. Photos released by the highway authority show the damage caused by the collisions. The bridge has already been hit almost 20 times in the last 10 years according to National Highways figures. Most recently it was a hit by a HGV last Monday (8 January) and again later in the week.

Only two lanes are now running underneath the bridge, between junctions 7 (M6 J4) and 6 (Birmingham Airport), after the structure was hit - and this will remain the case until the work to repair the bridge is completed. The hard shoulder and lane 1 have been closed to ensure the safety of road users.

Congestion this morning (January 15) saw traffic queues of up to 10 miles and it is anticipated that this evening’s peak traffic will also see considerable delays.

What has National Highways said about the incident?

National Highways Duty Operations Manager, Damian Holdcroft, said:“The strikes have caused significant damage to the bridge so we have closed two lanes on the southbound carriageway while we carry out further investigations and look at the options available to us.

“Safety is always our number one priority and we cannot risk the bridge being hit in this area again.

“We appreciate the impact the lane closures are having on drivers and would urge people to allow extra time for their journeys, particularly if heading to Birmingham Airport or events at the NEC, and to take alternative routes if at all possible.”