Drivers warned of 'hugely disruptive' works on major West Midlands motorways this summer due to HS2

Motorists have been warned "hugely disruptive" closures on the M42 and M6 this summer due to HS2 construction works.

Warwickshire County Council Director of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment Steve Smith claimed that the work on the high-speed rail project is set to reach its ‘peak’ and a series of motorway closures are due to be announced following May's local elections.

In an update to elected officials at this week's communities overview and scrutiny committee, he said: “I think it is safe to say we are at a peak. When you are visiting in and around Warwickshire or just beyond our boundaries you can see just how much is happening.

"That is now being reflected in the amount of road closures because they are starting to tie in the infrastructure that they are building offline to building online, into our road network, whether that is bridges or underpasses.

"There was a major closure of the A446 (near Coleshill and Water Orton) not that long ago to move the viaducts over that road. There are a lot of diversions happening and they always get contentious because not every motorist follows them and that does create a huge amount of noise locally from communities and residences.

"There is a lot going on. Over the summer there is going to be even more, a number of weekend closures on the M42 and the M6 as well, those are going to be communicated once the election period is over – we'll get more detail early May.

"Hugely disruptive in between junctions six and nine of the M42, a very busy area and that will entail local diversions on our roads so we are going to be hugely busy over the summer as a lot of these new assets come online throughout 2026."