Latest news with #SpaghettiJunction
The Sun
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
10 motorways closed the MOST in England in 2025 so far including infamous junction used by over 50,000 drivers daily
ENGLAND'S most closure-prone roads have been revealed – with the notorious M6 stretch between junctions 6 and 7 near Birmingham taking the top spot in 2025 so far. Freedom of Information data obtained by Co-op Insurance shows that the busy route has experienced the highest number of shut-downs so far this year. 5 5 5 5 5 The section, located in the West Midlands and known as the Spaghetti Junction, has been closed 29 times since January. Connecting the M6 with the A38(M) Aston Expressway and other local roads like the A38 and A5127, the junction is famous for its complex, multi-level design. It also features numerous slip roads, a roundabout - Salford Circus - and elevated roadways. The nickname "Spaghetti' was reportedly coined by a Birmingham Evening Mail journalist in the 1970s, due to the junction's complex network of intertwining roads. This causes significant issues for thousands of drivers, with data showing some 50,000 cars use the M6 toll each day, although the M6 itself is known to carry more traffic, with a section near Wolverhampton said to take some 180,000. Coming in just behind it in the ranking is junctions 37 to 38 on the A1M near Doncaster, while the M1 between junctions 23a and 24 near East Midlands Airport is in third place. Road closures are serious bad news for drivers as they lead to an increase in journey times – which, in turn, means much more stress and frustration. This, of course, can impair driving performance and safety, raising the risk of accidents and incidents occurring. Paul Evans, Head of Motor at Co-op Insurance, said: 'From commuting to leisure trips and visiting loved ones, our motorway network is a vital part of so many people's daily journeys. 'However, our findings suggest that getting from A to B via the motorway can sometimes be less than straightforward, with road closures seemingly on the rise and particularly common on certain stretches of motorway. The Nottingham road where speeding is so bad that people are selling their houses 'We're therefore urging drivers to plan their journeys carefully before they set off so that they can be prepared for any road closures, avoid rushed or panicked decisions and safely navigate diversions.' The motoring experts also found which motorways closed the most throughout 2024 – having found that motorway road closures rose by 18% last year. The number recorded by National Highways in England increased to more than 6,870, with incidents of total closures of both carriageways rising by 14% to just over 280. When it came to the roads worst affected by closures, they found that junction 63 of the A1M at Chester-Le-Street was closed the most – with a sizeable tally of 127. This was followed by the M53 at junction eight northbound in Ellesmere Port and the M6 between junction 21 and 21a in Warrington. Indeed, four out of the top 10 junction locations with the highest number of road closures in 2024 were in Yorkshire – with three on the M621 in Leeds. Elsewhere, three of the top 10 were in Cheshire, with two on the M53.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Loose dog stops traffic on M6 at Spaghetti Junction
Traffic was stopped on a motorway in the early hours of the morning due to a dog that was loose on the road, the highways service were stopped in both directions on the M6 in Birmingham, between Junctions 5 and 6, National Highways: West Midlands posted on social media site X just before 05.45 BST on Wednesday. The closure was caused by a "dog that was loose on the carriageway". The service then posted 45 minutes later to say all lanes were reopened. Junction 6 is affectionately known as Spaghetti Junction as it has several roads spread across different levels. National Highways said the animal had been "safely collected" and had left the scene by the time lanes reopened. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
