A major motorway closure is set to cause disruption for travellers in the West Midlands this weekend.
The M42 will be shut in both directions between junctions 6 and 9 from 9pm on Friday, September 18, to 5am on Monday, September 21.
The closure will allow for the demolition of Bickenhill Bridge and planned HS2 works.
National Highways has advised motorists to plan ahead, with delays expected throughout the weekend.
A spokesperson for National Highways said: “If you’re travelling to Birmingham Airport, Birmingham International Train Station, or the NEC, please allow extra time for your journeys and follow our signed diversion routes rather than sat nav directions.”
The closure will affect routes to key destinations including Birmingham Airport, Birmingham International Train Station, and the National Exhibition Centre (NEC).
Access will remain open, but journeys are likely to take longer.
The bridge demolition comes after routine inspections revealed significant deterioration.
National Highways said: “After detailed inspections, structural assessments and testing we’ve concluded that repairing the bridge isn’t a viable option.
“We’ll be using HS2’s pre-planned closure from September 18 to 21 to safely demolish the bridge.
“Doing both pieces of work at the same time means no extra closures and less disruption for drivers.”
The bridge will be removed using specialist demolition equipment in a controlled, sequenced process.
Safety is a top priority, with on-site crews, continuous monitoring, and strict safety protocols in place.
National Highways had initially closed one lane of the bridge and later introduced a weight limit restricting vehicles over 7.5 tonnes.
The bridge was eventually closed to all traffic.
The spokesperson said: “We continue to work closely with key stakeholders in the area, including the NEC, Birmingham Airport, Birmingham Business Park and JLR, to manage the impact to their customers.”
Diversion routes will be clearly signed, and drivers are urged to follow these instead of relying on sat nav directions.
Vehicles that normally use the M42 overbridges at the Bickenhill Interchange should use alternative routes.
Heavy abnormal loads and vehicles over 44 tonnes must have routes approved in advance by National Highways and West Midlands Police.
The bridge in question was not part of the recent M42 junction 6 improvements scheme.
National Highways said: “The deterioration identified during routine inspections in November 2025 is unrelated to that scheme.
“The improvement project included the construction of M42 J5a and the A4545 link road. This will provide much needed resilience for the road network in this area during any works that will be required to address the deterioration of the M42 junction 6 north bridge.”
Work is underway to develop options for temporary and permanent replacement structures.
Existing diversions will remain in place until then.
National Highways said the diversions are currently working well with minimal disruption.
National Highways said it will continue to monitor traffic closely throughout the closure period, working with partners to keep routes moving as smoothly as possible.
The coordinated timing of the works aims to minimise disruption by combining the bridge demolition with pre-planned HS2 construction activities.
A spokesperson said: “We’re planning to co-ordinate with scheduled closures of the M42 between Junctions 6 and 9 in the coming weeks.
“This will reduce the need for separate motorway closures and help minimise disruption for drivers.”