M5 drivers warned of 90-minute delays as huge 25-tonne silos transported through West Midlands

Motorists are being warned to expect significant delays on the M5 as three enormous silos, each weighing up to 25 tonnes, are transported through the West Midlands.

The abnormal loads will travel northbound along the motorway on three separate journeys between September 30 and October 12, with police escorts accompanying the vehicles.

Specialist transport company Allelys will move the silos from Avonmouth, with each journey taking two days to complete.

The loads will travel between junction 18 and junction 8 of the M5 on the first day, before continuing north towards junction 2 on the second day.

West Midlands Police will escort the vehicles between junction 8 and junction 2 from 4am on Friday, October 2, Friday, October 9, and Monday, October 12.

Drivers travelling northbound are being warned to expect delays of between 60 and 90 minutes, with only one lane available for vehicles to overtake the slow-moving convoys.

Due to the height of the loads, the vehicles will travel at speeds of between 20mph and 25mph.

They will also need to stop at certain structures along the route to lower their loads, during which northbound traffic will be temporarily held.

The vehicles are scheduled to pull over at suitable locations throughout their journeys to allow queues of traffic to pass.

The three movements will begin at Avonmouth at 6pm on Wednesday, September 30, 10am on Thursday, October 8, and 8.30am on Sunday, October 11.

Police from Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire and the West Midlands will escort the loads as they travel through their respective regions.

Motorists are being urged to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys, particularly those travelling along the M5 through Worcestershire and the Black Country on the three mornings when the convoys are due to pass.

Drivers can view the full route on the National Highways abnormal load map.