UK to Demolish Major Motorway Bridge Near Birmingham Airport Over Safety Concerns

National Highways has confirmed it will demolish the North Bridge at Junction 6 of the M42, near Birmingham Airport, after detailed inspections found the ageing structure could not be safely strengthened.

The 50-year-old bridge, part of the Bickenhill Interchange in Solihull, was opened to traffic in 1976. It has been closed since 13 July, when repeated breaches of a 7.5 tonne weight limit forced National Highways to shut it entirely.

Routine inspections earlier this year had already flagged concerns. Engineers found damage to the concrete deck and corrosion in the steel reinforcement, prompting an initial lane closure followed by the weight restriction.

On 7 August, National Highways announced the bridge would come down rather than be repaired. The agency said the structure was at risk of further deterioration and that strengthening works would not offer a long-term fix.

"Investigations showed that the most effective and efficient solution is to demolish the bridge and re-build it to modern standards to keep people and goods moving safely and reliably," the agency said.

National Highways is planning to carry out the demolition during one of the scheduled M42 closures between Junctions 6 and 9, which are already planned to support ongoing HS2 construction work in the coming weeks. Timing the work around those closures is intended to limit additional disruption to drivers.

A temporary bridge is being planned for the junction to keep traffic moving while a permanent replacement structure is designed and built. Details on timelines for the temporary crossing have not yet been released.

Ian Doust, head of network planning and development at National Highways, said many of the motorways and structures the agency manages were built more than half a century ago and now require renewal to remain fit for purpose.

National Highways is responsible for more than 23,000 structures across its network, including roughly 9,000 bridges. All of them are subject to inspection requirements set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, the standard framework governing structural assessment on the UK's strategic road network.

The North Bridge closure adds to a period of concentrated works around Junction 6, where the wider Bickenhill Interchange has already seen upgrade schemes, including the construction of the new A4545 link road and associated bridge works, completed in recent years.

Drivers in the area have faced ongoing diversions since the July closure, and National Highways has said current diversion routes will remain in place until the demolition and replacement work is complete.