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Man charged after five-hour M42 closure

Charlotte Benton
BBC News, West Midlands
National Highways A composite image from traffic cameras. Long queues of traffic on the right and the police closure on the left, with a series of vehicles, signs and red and white cones directing traffic off the motorway on to a slip roadNational Highways
The M42 was closed in both directions for five hours on Thursday

A man has been charged with endangering drivers and criminal damage after part of a motorway was closed for five hours this week.

The M42 closure was in the West Midlands between junction four, for Shirley and junction five, for Solihull, on Thursday, from just after 06:30 BST.

The road reopened at about 12:15 BST after West Midlands Police arrested Geoffrey Brewer, 52, of no fixed address.

He is due to appear in court at a future date which has not been released by the force.

The 52-year was also charged with other offences including common assault and a racially aggravated public order offence, a spokesperson added.

The closure led to queues between the turn-offs for the M40 and the M6, National Highway said at the time, with drivers having to be turned around and taken off the motorway.

Roads into Solihull and the A34 were also affected as traffic queued to join the motorway.

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