M5 traffic: live news updates
Live traffic updates for the M5 and M5 junctions, plus real-time reports on travel accidents, roadworks, snow and other delays
The M5 is the primary motorway linking the Midlands to the West Country. On its route south-west, the M5 passes Bromwich, Birmingham and then through the Sandwell Valley. Bromsgrove, Droitwich Spa, Worcester, Bristol and Taunton are all on its 163-mile route, before it finally finishes up at Exeter.
For the majority of the time it is a standard three-lane motorway, but because it reduces to just two lanes in places it can be prone to congestion and other traffic issues. While it is not typically the busiest part of the UK road network, Friday afternoons, summer holidays and bank holidays can be particularly hectic times to hop on the M5.
Here you’ll find live updates on the latest traffic news for the M5 motorway including a Twitter feed from the Highways Agency and others, an interactive map showing the current traffic problems caused by road works or accidents and weather news. It’s the perfect place to check before you start your journey.
M5 traffic news: live twitter feed
Scroll down to find live tweets from the Highways Agency, official police accounts and other traffic news feeds.
M5 live traffic map
You would be pretty unlucky to get caught in major traffic jams on the M5 but just in case there is some disruption, you can keep up to date on any delays with our live and continuously updated M5 traffic map.
The map below shows live updates on the current disrupted areas of the M5 for roadworks, accidents or general congestion causing delays on the route…
The history of the M5
The first 26 miles of the M5 motorway opened in 1962 and stretched from junction four at Lydiate Ash to the trumpet junction at Tewkesbury where it joins the M50. Despite Worcestershire County Council, the local police force and the County Surveyor of Worcestershire pushing for a three-lane route, the Ministry of Transport insisted that a two-lane motorway was to be built. Consequently, when the decision was made to widen the Worcester section of the M5 it cost £123 million to make the alteration.
From 1967 to 1970, the M5 was extended north of junction four, along with the addition of Frankely services. Much of the construction was built as an elevated three-lane motorway using concrete pillars as support. The M5 was also extended southwards, from 1967 to 1977, through Somerset and down to Exeter, using a three-lane motorway layout once again.
M5 junctions
Below are details of all the M5 junctions on northbound and southbound carriageways...
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North-east bound M5 exits (B carriageway)
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Junction
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South-west bound M5 exits (A carriageway)
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The North West, Wolverhampton, Birmingham (North & East), Walsall M6
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M6, J8
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Start of motorway
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West Bromwich, Birmingham (North West) A41
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J1
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West Bromwich, Birmingham (North West) A41
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Dudley, Wolverhampton, Birmingham (West) A4123
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J2
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Dudley, Wolverhampton, Birmingham (West) A4123
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Birmingham (South West & Central) A456
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J3
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Kidderminster A456
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Frankley Services
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Services
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Frankley Services
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Birmingham (South) A38 Stourbridge A491
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J4
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Bromsgrove A38 Stourbridge A491
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NEC, Airport, M42, London (M40), The North East (M1)
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J4A
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Birmingham (South & East), Redditch M42, London (M40)
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Droitwich, Bromsgrove A38
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J5
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Droitwich A38
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Worcester (North), Kidderminster A449
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J6
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Worcester (North) A449, Evesham A4538
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Worcester (South), Evesham A44
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J7
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Worcester (South) A44
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Strensham services
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Services
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Strensham services
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South Wales, Ross-on-Wye M50
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J8
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South Wales, Ross-on-Wye M50
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Tewkesbury A438 Evesham A46
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J9
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Tewkesbury A438 Evesham A46
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No access
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J10
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Cheltenham A4019
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Cheltenham, Gloucester A40
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J11
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Cheltenham, Gloucester, Staverton Airport A40
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Gloucester, Cirencester A417
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J11A
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London, Cirencester A417
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Gloucester Services
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Services
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Gloucester Services
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Gloucester (A38)
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J12
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Gloucester (A38)
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Stroud A419
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J13
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Stroud, Dursley A419
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Michaelwood services
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Services
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Michaelwood services
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Dursley B4509
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J14
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Thornbury B4509
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South Wales, London M4
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J15
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London, South Wales M4 (M48), Bristol (M32)
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Thornbury, Filton A38
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J16
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Thornbury, Filton A38
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Bristol (West), Cribbs Causeway A4018 B4055
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J17
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Bristol (West), Cribbs Causeway A4018
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South Wales, Cardiff, Newport M49 (M4(W))
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J18A
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No access
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Bristol A4 Avonmouth, Docks (A403)
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J18
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Avonmouth, Bristol (West), Airport A4
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Portishead, Royal Portbury Dock, Clifton (Toll) A369 Gordano Services
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J19 Services
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Portishead, Royal Portbury Dock A369 Gordano services
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Nailsea, Clevedon B3133
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J20
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Clevedon, Nailsea B3133
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Weston-super-Mare, Bristol (South) A370
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J21
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Weston-super-Mare A370
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Sedgemoor services
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Services
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Sedgemoor services
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Burnham-on-Sea, Bristol (South), Airport A38 Weston-S-Mare (A370)
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J22
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Highbridge, Burnham-on-Sea A38
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Highbridge A38 Glastonbury, Wells A39
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J23
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Glastonbury, Wells A39 Bridgwater A38
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Bridgwater, Minehead A38 Bridgwater services
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J24 Services
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Minehead, A38 (A39) Bridgwater services
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Taunton, Yeovil A358
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J25
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Honiton, Yeovil, Weymouth A358, Taunton (A38)
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Taunton Deane services
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Services
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Taunton Deane services
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Wellington, Taunton A38
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J26
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Wellington A38
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Barnstaple, Tiverton A361, Wellington A38
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J27
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Barnstaple, Tiverton A361, Willand (B3181)
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Cullompton B3181 Cullompton services
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J28 Services
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Cullompton B3181, Honiton A373
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Honiton A30 Exeter International Airport
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J29
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Honiton A30 (East) Exeter International Airport
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Exeter A379, Exmouth A376 Sidmouth (A3052), Exeter services
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J30 Services
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Exeter, Dawlish A379 Sidmouth, Exmouth A376 Exeter services
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Start of motorway
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J31
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Bodmin, Okehampton A30
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Bodmin, Okehampton A30 Non-motorway traffic
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Road becomes A38 to Plymouth and Torquay (A380)
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Going even further than the top of the M5? Then you best check our live updates page for the M6.
