Misery on M6 in Midlands nearly at end

Eighteen months of nightmare roadworks and narrow lanes on the M6 are coming to an end.

Restrictions have been in place between junctions 10 at Walsall and eight to allow work on a £150 million scheme to open up the hard shoulder to traffic in rush hour and to introduce variable speed limits to ease congestion.

The Highways Agency said narrow lanes on the northbound carriageway had been widened and work to remove narrow lanes on the southbound carriageway was due to be completed this weekend.

But the 50mph speed limit would stay for engineers to carry out tests. It is expected that these restrictions will be lifted next month.

The agency also said the scheme was on target to achieve hard shoulder running on the M6 by the spring.

Narrow lanes and speed restrictions have been in place for a number of months for the Managed Motorways scheme which will run from the M6 junction with the M42 to Junction five of the M6, and from junction eight to junction 10A at Essington.

It has seen drivers forced to find diversions off the motorway at regular intervals.