The ‘secret’ West Midlands motorway junction that you won’t find on Google Maps

It's no secret the West Midlands has some of the country's busiest stretches of roads. In some ways it's a blessing, in other ways a curse. We're a well-connected region and drivers are able to reach all four corners of the country thanks to an intricate network of motorways here.

We have the likes of the M6 heading from northwest to southeast, the M5 heading to Devon and Cornwall, the M54 going east to Shropshire and the M42 curving around Warwickshire[1] and connecting onto the M40 down to London. But due to the sheer volume of traffic, congestion and long queues are a common problem. Many drivers' hearts will have sank after witnessing large swathes of red ahead appear on their sat nav and mobile phone screens, indicating delays on their journeys ahead.

Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp[3], click the link to join As drivers, we have to take the good with the bad. Projects are regularly undertaken by transport chiefs like National Highways to improve congestion.

That includes the recent expansion and revamp of Junction 10 Walsall[4] on the M6, which has been a particular bottle neck[5] in recent years, with work completing in March 2024. A newer project which has taken shape elsewhere in the West Midlands region has been the addition of a new junction on the M42 in Solihull[6].

Earlier this month, on Tuesday, December 17, Junction 5a - and an adjoining 1.5-mile-long link road to Birmingham Airport[7] (BHX) and the NEC - opened to motorists[8] for the first time. It's been built to relieve congestion at Junction 6, Bickenhill Interchange on the M42, located 1.1 miles to the north.

But given it's so new, the new junction and link road, called the A4545, have not yet appeared on Google Maps. That means motorists using this new junction will have to rely on old-fashioned street signage. The A4545 has opened with one lane running in each direction while infrastructure work continues on the link road.

It's due to fully open in Spring 2025.

References

1. ^ Warwickshire (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
2. ^ I drive through new GBP78m M6 junction every week and I'm so glad it's finally over (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
3. ^ BirminghamLive WhatsApp (chat.whatsapp.com)
4. ^ Walsall (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
5. ^ particular bottle neck (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
6. ^ Solihull (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
7. ^ Birmingham Airport (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
8. ^ opened to motorists (www.birminghammail.co.uk)