M6 junctions 4 to 10a Dynamic Hard Shoulder enhancements

We are upgrading dynamic hard shoulder motorways, starting with the central reservation barriers between M6 junctions 4 to 10a.

Start date March 2022
End date TBC
Cost TBC

Latest updates

  • 15 November 2024

    Upcoming closures in November

    We’re continuing to install new CCTV cameras between M6 J5 and 10a overnight.

    Closures

    To do this work, we'll need the following lane closures between 9pm and 6am.

    Wednesday 20 November

    M6 J4 to 5 northbound – hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure
    M42 southbound to M6 northbound link road – hard shoulder and lane 1 closure

    Thursday 21 November

    M6 J5 to 4 southbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure

    Friday 22 November

    M6 J8 to 5 southbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure

    M5 northbound to M6 southbound link road - hard shoulder and lane 1 closure

    M6 southbound J7 entry slip road – full closure. Traffic will be diverted north on the M6 to J9, to turn around and join the M6 southbound.

    M6 southbound J7 exit slip road – full closure. Vehicles can either leave the M6 at J8 onto the M5 southbound to J1, exit and join the M5 northbound to reach M6 J7 via the M5 northbound to M6 southbound link road, or leave the M6 at J6 and join the M6 northbound to exit at J7.

    We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey. We encourage you to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling.

    Please remember that closures can change at short notice. Please check this webpage and our X (formerly Twitter) account (@HighwaysWMIDS) before travelling for the latest information.

    You can also check our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England site. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.

  • 04 November 2024

    CCTV camera installation

    We’re continuing to install new CCTV cameras between M6 junction 5 and 10a overnight.

    To do this the following lane closures will be required between 9pm and 6am.

    Wednesday 6 November 

    • M6 J8 to 10a northbound – hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure 
    • M6 J10a to 8 southbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure 
    • M54 eastbound to M6 southbound link road – hard shoulder and lane 1 closure

    Thursday 7 and Friday 8 November 

    • M6 J8 to 10a northbound – hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure 
    • M5 northbound (J1) to M6 northbound (J8) link road – lane 1 closure 
    • M6 J9 southbound exit slip road – full closure. Keep on M6 southbound to J7, exit and rejoin M6 northbound to exit at J9
    • M6 J9 southbound entry slip road – full closure. Head north on M6 to J10, exit and rejoin M6 southbound
    • M6 J10a to 8 southbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure 
    • M54 eastbound to M6 southbound link road – hard shoulder and lane 1 closure 
    • M6 J10a to 8 southbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure 
    • M54 eastbound to M6 southbound link road – hard shoulder and lane 1 closure 

    We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey. We encourage you to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling.

    Please remember that closures can change at short notice. Please check this webpage and our X (formerly Twitter) account (@HighwaysWMIDS) before travelling for the latest information.

    You can also check our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England site. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.

  • 24 October 2024

    Next closures

    We’re continuing to install, test and commission new CCTV cameras between M6 junction 5 and 10a overnight. Completion is planned for the end of the year with our next planned lane closures for on or around 14 November.

  • 27 September 2024

    Removal of traffic management at M6 J6

    This weekend, we’ll begin to remove the traffic management to the hard shoulder closure, return both carriageways to normal operation and open the new emergency areas.

    To do this the following closures will be required between 9pm and 6am.

    Sunday 29 September

    • M6 J5 to 8 northbound, hard shoulder lane 1 and 2 closure
    • A38(M) Aston Expressway to M6 northbound link road – full closure (diversion Head southbound on the M6 to J4, exit and then rejoin the M6 northbound)

    Monday 30 September

    • M6 J8 to 5 southbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure

    Tuesday 1 October 

    • M6 J5 to 8 northbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure 
    • A38(M) Aston Expressway to M6 northbound link road full closure (diversion Head southbound on the M6 to J4, exit and then rejoin the M6 northbound)
    • M6 J8 to 5 southbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure

    Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 October* 

    • M6 J8 to 5 southbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure 
    • Friday 4 October*
      M6 J5 to 8 northbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure
    • A38(M) Aston Expressway to M6 northbound link road full closure (diversion Head southbound on the M6 to J4, exit and then rejoin the M6 northbound) 

    Please note those closures marked * are contingency only and may not be required. We will update you next week.

    We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey. We encourage you to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling.

    Please remember that closures can change at short notice. Please check this webpage and our X (formerly Twitter) account (@HighwaysWMIDS) before travelling for the latest information.

    You can also check our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England site. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.

  • 25 September 2024

    Installing new CCTV cameras

    Constructing and commissioning the new emergency areas just north of M6 J6 is complete, so there is currently no workforce on site.

    Removing the traffic management system has been delayed due to technical issues installing CCTV cameras. The cameras will monitor the hard shoulder and we must install them before we can fully reopen the section.

    However, we plan to start removing equipment overnight this weekend, which will take a few nights to complete.

    We'll publish the closures we need for this work on this page later this week.

    Closures to install and commission new CCTV

    Next week we’ll be working overnight between M6 junctions 8 and 10a installing and commissioning new CCTV cameras.

    We'll need the following overnight closures (9pm until 6am)

    Monday 23 to Friday 27 September
    • M6 J8 to 10a northbound, hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure
    • M6 J10a to 8 southbound hard shoulder, lane 1 and 2 closure
    • M54 eastbound to M6 southbound link road - hard shoulder and lane 1 closure

    No diversions are required as these are lane closures only.

    Tuesday 24 September
    • M6 J9 southbound entry slip road full closure
    • Head southbound to J7, exit and rejoin the M6 northbound to exit the M6 at J9

    We’re sorry for the disruption this work may cause to your journey. We encourage you to plan ahead and allow extra time when travelling.

    Please remember that closures can change at short notice. Please check this webpage and our X (formerly Twitter) account (@HighwaysWMIDS) before travelling for the latest information.

    You can also check our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England site. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.

  • 07 September 2024

    CCTV update

    Works to construct and commission the new emergency areas just north of M6 junction 6 is now complete, so there is currently no workforce on site. However, removal of the traffic management system has been delayed due to technical issues with the CCTV cameras that are required to be installed to monitor the hard shoulder, before we can fully reopen the section.

    We are working hard to resolve this situation as soon as possible and completion is planned for this summer.

  • 11 July 2024

    Work finishes at M6 junction 6 - overnight works between junctions 5 and 8

    We've finished building new emergency areas West of M6 junction 6 and will soon remove traffic management.

    We’ll now be installing new cables and working on CCTV cameras between M6 junctions 5 and 8.

    Closures in July

    Please remember that closure details can change at short notice. For the most up-to-date information, please visit our daily closures page.

    You can also get information on our our X (formerly Twitter) account (@HighwaysWMIDS)

    We'll need some overnight lane closures from 9pm to 6am while we work. Traffic will still be running - but plan ahead and allow extra time for your journey.

    A38(M) Aston Expressway

    We'll need one overnight full closure of the A38(M) Aston Expressway northbound to M6 southbound link road.

    Traffic will be diverted:

    • from the A38 (M) northbound onto the M6 northbound
    • on to J7 to exit then join the M6 southbound.

    We’re sorry for any disruption this work may cause you.

See more updates

Project information

Overview

These enhancements have been developed as part of our work to upgrade Dynamic Hard Shoulder motorways to the latest safety standards.

On 15 April 2023 the Government announced that plans for new smart motorways would be cancelled in recognition of the lack of public confidence felt by drivers and cost pressures. This follows an announcement in January 2022 to pause the rollout of new all lane running smart motorways, yet to start construction.

In line with this announcement we have cancelled the conversion programme while we consider alternative ways in which to operate the dynamic hard shoulder.

The Government and National Highways continue to invest £900 million in further safety improvements on existing smart motorways, and to give motorists clear advice when using existing smart motorways.

We are installing further safety measures for DHS motorways in operation, including upgrading the central reservation barrier.

Concrete barriers are even stronger than metal ones and significantly reduce the risk of vehicles crossing over from one carriageway to another, improving safety and reducing the duration of incident-related congestion.

They are also virtually maintenance free and will last twice as long as normal metal barriers, with far less need for closures for routine repairs.

While we are working in the central reservation, we’re also renewing road lighting, before moving into the verge to upgrade drainage, install new CCTV to ensure even better coverage, new signs to improve visibility of emergency areas, and also creating new places to stop in an emergency where appropriate.

Documents

Traffic information

Information about scheduled roadworks and events on our motorways and major roads.

Contact us

0300 123 5000

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