M42 motorway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids M42 motorway
Looking south towards junction 6
Route information
Part of E05
Maintained by Highways England
Length	40.0 mi (64.4 km)
Existed	1976–present
History	Opened: 1976 Completed: 1989
Major junctions
Southwest end	Catshill
	M5 motorway J3a → M40 motorway J7 → M6 motorway M6 motorway M6 motorway M6 Toll
Northeast end	Appleby Magna
Location
Counties:	Worcestershire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Leicestershire
Primary destinations:	Bromsgrove Solihull Birmingham Airport Tamworth
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones ← M40 M45 →

The M42 is a major motorway in the Midlands region of England. It stretches about 40 miles (64 km) from near Bromsgrove in Worcestershire in the southwest. It then heads northeast towards Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire.

This motorway helps drivers get around the south side of the West Midlands conurbation. It passes through important towns like Solihull and near Birmingham Airport. Along its route, it crosses the busy M6 motorway. After that, it goes past Coleshill and Tamworth. The M42 then ends and becomes the A42 road, just south of Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

The M42 was first built in the 1970s. Its main goal was to create a direct motorway link between the East Midlands and West Midlands. Today, it also forms a key part of a ring road around Birmingham. This ring road is often called the "Birmingham Box" and includes sections of the M5, M6, and M42 motorways.

Exploring the M42's Main Connections

The M42 motorway has many junctions where you can join or leave the road. These junctions connect the M42 to other major motorways and towns. Here's a look at some of the most important connections along its route.

M42 Motorway Junctions
Junction	Southbound Exits	Northbound Exits	Connected Areas
M5 J4A	To The NORTH WEST, Birmingham (West, North & Central), Stourbridge (via M6) To The SOUTH WEST, Worcester (via M5)	Start of motorway	Connects to the M5 motorway, leading to major cities like Birmingham and Worcester.
J1	Bromsgrove A38	No access (on-ramp only)	Provides access to Bromsgrove.
J2	Birmingham (South) A441 Hopwood Park services	Birmingham (South) A441 Hopwood Park services	Connects to southern Birmingham and offers a service area for breaks.
J3	Birmingham (South), Redditch, Evesham A435	Birmingham (South), Redditch, Evesham A435	Links to Redditch and Evesham. This is where the motorway enters Warwickshire from Worcestershire.
J3A	London, Warwick, Stratford M40	London, Warwick, Stratford M40	A key junction connecting to the M40 motorway, which leads to London and Stratford-upon-Avon.
J4	Shirley A34	Shirley A34	Provides access to Shirley. This is where the motorway enters the West Midlands.
J5	Solihull A41	Solihull A41	Connects to the town of Solihull.
J6	Birmingham (East), Birmingham International , Birmingham , N.E.C., Coventry A45	Birmingham (East), Birmingham International , Birmingham , N.E.C. A45(W) Coventry (South & West), N.E.C. A45(E)	A very busy junction for Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre (N.E.C.), and Coventry.
J7	No access (on-ramp only)	The NORTH WEST, Birmingham (Central & North) M6(N)	Connects to the M6 motorway heading north. This is where the motorway enters Warwickshire again.
J7A	London (North & East) (M1), Coventry (North & East) M6	London (M1), Coventry M6	Another important connection to the M6 and M1 motorways, useful for reaching London.
J8	Birmingham (Central, East, North & West) M6(N)	No access (on-ramp only)	Provides access to the M6 motorway for various parts of Birmingham.
J9	The NORTH WEST M6 Toll, Coleshill A446, A4097	The NORTH WEST, Cannock, Lichfield M6 Toll Kingsbury A4097, Lichfield A446	Connects to the M6 Toll road, offering a quicker route around Birmingham, and to towns like Lichfield.
J10	Nuneaton, Tamworth A5, Lichfield (A38) Tamworth services	Nuneaton, Tamworth A5 Tamworth services	A major junction for Tamworth and Nuneaton, with a service area.
J11	Nuneaton A444 Non-motorway traffic	Burton upon Trent, Measham A444	The final junction of the M42. It connects to the A444 and then the road continues as the A42 towards East Midlands Airport. This is where the motorway enters Leicestershire.
Notes The information about distances and road names comes from signs you see on the motorway.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Images for kids

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  The M42 motorway seen from a bridge near Junction 6, looking towards the A45 road.