 | It has been suggested that A42 road (England) be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since July 2024. |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2007) |
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_map.svg) | ||||
 The M42 from a bridge just east of the M42/A45, looking south towards junction 6 | ||||
| Route information | ||||
Part of  E05 | ||||
| Maintained by National Highways | ||||
| Length | 40.0 mi (64.4 km) | |||
| Existed | 1976–present | |||
| History | Opened: 1976 Completed: 1989 | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| Southwest end | Catshill | |||
 M5 motorway   J3a → M40 motorway   J7 → M6 motorway  M6 motorway  M6 motorway   M6 Toll | ||||
| Northeast end |   A42 Appleby Magna | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United Kingdom | |||
| Counties | Worcestershire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Leicestershire | |||
| Primary destinations | Bromsgrove Solihull Birmingham Airport Tamworth | |||
| Road network | ||||
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The M42 motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and Tamworth on the way, serving the east of the Birmingham metropolitan area. The section between the M40 and junction 4 of the M6 forms – though unsigned as such – a part of Euroroute E05. Northwards beyond junction 11, the route is continued as the A42; the junctions on this section, 12–14, are numbered like a continuation of the motorway, but the road has non-motorway status from here.