Anyone exit the M42 at junc. 5 in the very early hours of Tuesday morning due to roadwork closures?
Heading south (M42-M40) I had to come the ‘42’ junc.5 at about 0230 and followed the yellow diversion symbol as instructed at the next available exit on the roundabout.
This was the one and only sign and symbol for the diversion !!!
I thought I’d stick to the primary road, there wasn’t any traffic about as I progressed toward the A41 then ‘bingo’ … bridge ahead 15’ 3" and I’m pulling a 16’ Double Deck trailer !!! I carried on a little further to turn around and came across two other double deckers who had just turned around.
Going back the way I had just came I must have passed well over 40 wagons heading toward the bridge, lots of double deckers obviously leaving one of the many parcel and pallet network hubs in Brum… I managed to forewarn a few of them but it really did get quite busy very quickly.
A friend phoned me a short time later and said a truck managed to get stuck under the bridge.
SO WELL DONE TO THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY !!!
I’m sure the residents in that residential road really appreciated the noise and congestion due to your incompetence and slack laziness as did I and no doubt all the other drivers with trailers over 15’ !!!
Well done !!!
Glad someone else suffered for the HA incompetence…was a complete balls-up…perhaps they had a wager as to how many fingers or coffee invites they were showed that night!!
I just stayed away and went the long way round - M42 North, M6 North M5 South. Takes 20 mins more but no low bridges. I come from necxt to the airport at J6 so no major problem. Also the same on M4 J 34 - no clear diversion available - the signs just sent you up and down between J34 and J35.
Matrix signs and even traffic reports warning of closures that don’t excist - M50 in particular. I don’t know where the hell I am going now - every road seems to be closed and with a 16ft Double Decker I don’t want to stray too far 
I’m very sorry for all the inconvenience you guys have encountered. Phone HAIL on 0300 123 5000 to complain, that’s not on. The NTCC should have forewarned drivers and had a suitable diversion route signposted.
Mate of mine was travelling back up to the North last night when the matrix were saying that it was closed so he came up the M5/M6 then onto the A38
Obviously I cant comment on the signs as it’s not my region. Have you tried to download the desktop notifier from the HA website for up to date traffic information. 
i got caught out by this aswell this morning at around 3.40am, followed sign diversion left at roundabout, then continued down and no other signs what so ever, luickily i only had a 13ft 9 single on, but as others said i just followed the a41 all the way and then the ring road and joined onto the a38m to get onto the m6
this is appalling and they need to get something sorted asap, how many bridge strikes will it take on that route before they do something
