Birmingham Airport: Update issued as M42 re-opens after West Midlands Police arrest 52-year-old man
Birmingham Airport has shared a number of posts on X confirming that the M42 is now open after West Midlands Police arrested a man.
A section of the M42 has reopened after it was shut for five hours in both directions, causing long delays. Birmingham Airport was advising holidaymakers yesterday to allow extra time for their journey.
The closure, affecting a stretch between junction four for Shirley and junction five for Solihull, was necessary and was first reported by National Highways just after 06:30 BST. The road reopened at about 12:15 after West Midlands Police arrested a 52-year-old man on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences, affecting public infrastructure, criminal damage & other offences.
National Highways said the closure had caused traffic queues stretching between the turnoffs for the M40 and the M6. The queues were up to an hour and a half long, and about 09:30 traffic had to be turned around and taken off the motorway.
National Highways posted an update yesterday saying: “All lanes are now open in both directions on the #M42 between J4 #Shirley and J5 #Solihull The earlier @WMPolice led incident has now been cleared Delays are easing - approx. 15 minute delays remain both ways. If you're heading to @bhx_official today, please allow extra time.