The M42 was closed and traffic diverted more than 18 hours after the lorry fire

M42 drivers are being asked to follow a diversion route this morning, June 27, more than 18 hours after a lorry caught fire. The southbound carriageway of the M42 remains closed on Thursday morning between junction 10 for Tamworth and junction 9 for Curdworth and Sutton Coldfield due to the fire, which was reported at around 1.40pm on Wednesday 26 June.

The key stretch remains closed this morning and motorists are asked to follow a diversion route. Due to fire damage, the southbound carriageway is expected to remain closed throughout the morning and afternoon as repairs and resurfacing will be carried out on both lanes.

National Highways and emergency services were alerted at around 1.30pm yesterday to a HGV fire on the hard shoulder. Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service attended, helping to remove the load of cardboard from the remains of the lorry and cushioned it before it could be taken away.

LIVE TRAVEL UPDATES: M42 closed and M6 live delays as drivers diverted from lorry fire wreaking havoc on motorway

However, the operation to remove the load from the vehicle was a slow process as the cardboard pallets caught fire again when being moved and despite the use of four pick-up wagons, the removal work took until around 5am. The vehicle has now been recovered but the full width of the carriageway needs to be resurfaced before it can safely reopen.

A Tamworth resident said traffic was “horizontal” this morning at the end of his street following the closure of the M42. She added that people were passing through Tamworth at around 8am to get to where the M42 joins the M6.

Diversion route

Motorists are advised to follow the solid diversion triangle symbol on road signs:

• Exit the M42 at junction 10 and take the A5 westbound to Watling Street.
• Continue along the A5 west to its junction with the A452, Bonehill Road.
• Exit onto the A453 southbound and continue to its junction with the A446, Bassetts Pole.
• Exit onto the A446 eastbound and continue to junction 9 for the M42 to join.

Elsewhere on the M6, problems for drivers continue after a separate accident. Junctions two to four northbound were only reopened this morning, June 27, almost 15 hours after the collision occurred. Junctions two to four northbound were only reopened this morning, June 27, almost 15 hours after the collision occurred.