M42 stopped traffic J3A–J4 northbound

Stopped traffic on the M42 northbound at J3A–J4 on Friday 23 October 2026, from 12:44. Still reported at 20:14 UK time. Timeline of reports from TomTom and the motorway signs.

Status

Live since 12:44 (7 h 31 min)

Location

M42 northbound · J3A–J4

Reported as

Broken-down vehicle

At its worst

Stationary traffic · delay ~28 min

Sources

TomTom ×13 · Motorway signs ×5

Timeline

1. 12:44 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~4 min
2. 13:01 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~3 min
3. 13:10 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~6 min
4. 13:34 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~3 min
5. 13:52 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~3 min
6. 13:56 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~4 min (reported again)
7. 14:05 TomTom: delay now ~8 min (was ~3)
8. 14:11 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
9. 14:19 TomTom: delay now ~6 min (was ~11)
10. 14:20 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~5 min
11. 14:20 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
12. 14:28 TomTom: delay now ~13 min (was ~5)
13. 14:29 TomTom: delay now ~8 min (was ~3)
14. 14:33 TomTom: delay now ~21 min (was ~8)
15. 14:37 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
16. 14:38 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~3 min
17. 14:38 TomTom: delay now ~3 min (was ~8)
18. 14:43 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~3 min
19. 14:47 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
20. 14:51 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
21. 15:00 Motorway signs: “STRANDED VEHICLE-SLOW”
22. 15:10 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~6 min
23. 15:42 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
24. 15:46 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~4 min (reported again)
25. 15:46 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
26. 16:04 Motorway signs no longer show “STRANDED VEHICLE-SLOW”
27. 16:05 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
28. 16:09 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
29. 16:09 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
30. 16:28 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
31. 16:41 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
32. 16:46 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
33. 16:46 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
34. 17:04 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
35. 17:05 Motorway signs: “REPORT OF PEDESTRIANS”
36. 17:09 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~4 min
37. 17:23 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
38. 17:28 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
39. 17:34 Motorway signs no longer show “REPORT OF PEDESTRIANS”
40. 17:45 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~4 min (reported again)
41. 17:50 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~5 min
42. 18:04 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~4 min (reported again)
43. 18:09 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
44. 18:22 Motorway signs: “OBSTRUCTION SLOW DOWN”
45. 18:22 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
46. 18:31 TomTom: “Stationary traffic”
47. 19:36 TomTom: delay now ~8 min (was ~13), “Queuing traffic”
48. 19:59 TomTom no longer reports it

Source reports

• Slow traffic
• Queuing traffic
• Overhead signs read “STRANDED VEHICLE-SLOW” (1 sign; furthest along: M42 northbound between J3A and J4).
• Overhead signs read “REPORT OF PEDESTRIANS” (1 sign; furthest along: M42 J5 northbound exit).
• Overhead signs read “REPORT OF PEDESTRIANS” (6 signs; furthest along: M42 southbound between J4 and J3A).
• Overhead signs read “REPORT OF PEDESTRIANS” (7 signs; furthest along: M42 northbound between J3A and J4).
• Overhead signs read “OBSTRUCTION SLOW DOWN” (2 signs; furthest along: M42 northbound between J4 and J5).

Other recent incidents on the M42

• M42 crash J10–J1115:10 · cleared after 2 h 13 min
• M42 crash J10–J9 northbound14:10 · cleared after 1 h 24 min
• M42 crash J9 northbound12:33 · cleared after 2 h 9 min
• M42 crash J10–J9 southboundyesterday 16:11 · cleared after 3 h 26 min
• M42 delays J4–J3Ayesterday 15:53 · cleared after 3 h 17 min
• M42 crash J2–J3 northboundyesterday 06:47 · cleared after 2 h 14 min
• M42 stopped traffic J7A–J7Wed 14:41 · cleared after 23 min
• M42 crash J2–J1 southboundWed 12:12 · cleared after 4 h 7 min
• M42 stopped traffic J9–J10Tue 14:29 · cleared after 3 h 45 min
• M42 crash J3–J2 southboundTue 07:01 · cleared after 4 h 15 min

The sources don't report causes or injuries, so neither does this page. Times are UK time. For alerts, follow @motorways.me on Bluesky.