Drivers warned of further closures on M6 as £78m junction 10 project continues

National Highways has announced the closures in the latest update on the £78 million project, which started in 2020 and is expected to reach completion later this year.

Earlier this week, residents living nearby slammed the work, which has seen 50-year-old bridges over the M6 be replaced with wider versions, saying it has been "completely useless".

As part of the works, a new combined footpath and cycleway with controlled crossing points, near to the south verge of the north bridge, has opened.

A footpath was previously provided on the north verge of the bridge but had no controlled crossing point at either end.

National Highways said this will mean safer journeys for pedestrian and cyclists across the J10 roundabout.

As the project continues to get underway, the following closures and diversions have been put in place.

Full closure of southbound M6 carriageway between the J10 exit and entry slip roads

This closure will be in place on from 10pm tonight until 5am on Saturday, January 6.

Diversion route:

There will be an ‘up and over’ diversion for traffic which will leave the motorway at junction 10, travel over the roundabout and then re-join the M6 on the other side.

Full closure of the M6 J10 northbound exit slip road

This closure will be in place from 9pm until 5am on January 8 and 9, and again from January 15 to 19.

Diversion routes:

• Diversion to A454 Wolverhampton Road - Traffic will be diverted to exit at M6 J10a to the M54 northbound carriageway, at M54 J1 re-enter the southbound carriageway to exit at M6 J10.

• Diversion to A454 Black Country Route westbound – traffic will be diverted as above and along A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound to Pleck Road to Old Pleck Road, across M6 J9 towards Wednesbury, onto Black Country New Road to join the A454 Black Country Route.

Full closure of the M6 J10 southbound entry slip road

This closure will be in place from 9pm until 5am on January 8 and 9, and again from January 15 to 19.

Diversion routes:

• Diversion from A454 Black Country Route and Wolverhampton Road West - traffic will be diverted along A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound, to Pleck Road to Old Pleck Road to join the M6 at J9.

• Diversion from A454 Wolverhampton Road westbound - traffic will be diverted off before the closure at Pleck Road to Old Pleck Road to join the M6 at J9.

Full closure of the A454 Black Country Route westbound

This closure will be in place from 10pm until 5am on January 8 and 9, and again from January 15 to 19.

Diversion routes:

• Diversion from A454 Wolverhampton Road westbound - traffic will be diverted off before the closure at Pleck Road to Old Pleck Road and diverted across M6 J9 towards Wednesbury, onto Black Country New Road to join the A454 Black Country Route.

• Diversion from Wolverhampton Road West - traffic will be diverted to Bentley Road North, Marshland Way to Black Country Route westbound.

• Diversion from J10 southbound exit slip road - traffic will be diverted along A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound to Pleck Road, Old Pleck Road and diverted across M6 J9 towards Wednesbury, onto Black Country New Road to join the A454 Black Country Route.

Full closure of the A454 Wolverhampton Road westbound (from Tempus Drive (KFC) to the J10 roundabout)

This closure will be in place from 10pm until 5am on January 8 and 9, and again from January 15 to 19.

Diversion routes:

• Diversion to A454 Black Country Route westbound - traffic will be diverted off before the closure at Pleck Road to Old Pleck Road and diverted across M6 J9 towards Wednesbury, onto Black Country New Road to re-join the A454 Black Country Route.

• Diversion to the M6 northbound and southbound - traffic will be diverted off before the closure at Pleck Road to Old Pleck Road to join the M6 at J9.

National Highways has noted that during this period of closure, there will be no access from Bloxwich Lane to the J10 roundabout. Road users will be diverted to the A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound and should then follow the above diversion routes.

Partial closure of the J10 roundabout.

National Highways has said there will be no access after the A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound exit to the A454 Black Country Route westbound from 10pm until 5am on January 8 and 9, and again from January 15 to 19.

Diversion routes:

• Diversion to the A454 Black Country Route westbound – traffic will be diverted via A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound, Old Pleck Road, across M6 J9, to Black Country New Road.

• Diversion from A454 Black Country Route eastbound and Wolverhampton Road West to the M6 southbound - traffic will be diverted along A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound, to Pleck Road to Old Pleck Road to join the M6 at J9.

• Diversion from A454 Wolverhampton Road westbound - traffic will be diverted off before the closure at Pleck Road to Old Pleck Road to join the M6 at J9 or towards Wednesbury, onto Black Country New Road to re-join the A454 Black Country Route.

There will be another partial closure of the roundabout from 10pm until 5am on January 10 to January 12.

During this closure period, there will be no access from the Black Country Route (eastbound) entry onto the roundabout to the entry to the A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound (towards Walsall).

Diversion routes:

• Traffic from A454 Wolverhampton Road westbound will be able to join the M6 southbound but not the M6 northbound as the northbound entry slip road will be closed.

• Traffic wishing to join the M6 northbound will be diverted to the M6 J10 southbound carriageway to exit at J9 and re-join the M6 northbound.

• Traffic will be able to use the M6 northbound exit slip to join the A454 (Black Country Route only), westbound only. There will be no access to re-join the M6 northbound or A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound (towards Walsall).

• To join the A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound (towards Walsall) – traffic will be diverted along the A454 (Black Country Route) westbound to the Black Country New Road, across M6 J9 to Old Pleck Road.

Lane closures

From 9pm until 5am on January 5 there will be lane closures on:

• Northbound mainline carriageway

• A454 Wolverhampton Road in both directions

• A454 Black Country Route eastbound

• The M6 J10 roundabout

From 10pm until 5am on January 8 and 9, and again from January 15 to 19, there will be lane closures on:

• Northbound and southbound mainline carriageway approaching M6 J10

• A454 Wolverhampton Road eastbound (from the roundabout to Tempus Drive (KFC))

• A454 Black Country Route eastbound and

• The remaining open section of the roundabout that has not been closed on these dates, as stated above.

From 8pm until 5am on January 10 to January 12, there will be lane closures on:

• M6 J10 northbound and southbound mainline carriageway and northbound exit slip road

• Lane closures on A454 Wolverhampton Road westbound (from Tempus Drive (KFC) to the J10 roundabout)

No diversions will be in place as these are lane closures only.

National Highways has apologised to motorists for any inconvenience caused by the closures and urged them to allow extra time when travelling.

Drivers have been advised that closures could be subject to change at short notice due to circumstances such as poor weather conditions.

The J10 works has been met with some dissatisfaction by residents nearby however, National Highways bosses insist they will feel the benefits once the project is complete.