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Police arrest 52-year-old man as M42 reopens

National Highways A composite image from traffic cameras. Long queues of traffic on the right and the police closure on the left, with a series of vehicles, signs and red and white cones directing traffic off the motorway on to a slip roadNational Highways
Long queues built up as police directed traffic off the motorway

A section of the M42 has reopened after it was shut for five hours in both directions, causing long delays.

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.

Birmingham Airport advised people expecting to board a flight to allow extra time for their journey.

National Highways Composite image of empty carriagewaysNational Highways
The tailbacks were in stark contrast to the empty carriageways within the closure zone

Roads into Solihull and the A34 were also affected by traffic queuing to join the motorway.

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