Running from Junction 19 of the M1, the M6 makes up one of the busiest routes from the Midlands and London to Manchester, Liverpool and beyond – with frequent traffic congestion and closures making alternative routes essential for all travellers.
Here motoring journalist and expert Pete
Barden reveals a list of planned diversions set between all junctions on the M6. Simply turn off
the motorway and follow the diversion that's already signposted.
Find alternative routes for journeys
taking in the M6 and avoid traffic jams as you up or down the country (Credit: Flickr/Dunk)
Drivers heading between London, Manchester and beyond will often find themselves spending much of the journey on the M6 and M6 Toll road.
As part of the 'backbone' of the UK, the M6 is one of the country's busiest cross-country routes. It has the fourth-highest junction-to-junction daily vehicle flow at 167,565. The high traffic flow and importance of M6 make it prone to congestion and closures due to vehicle accidents.
M6 crash today - how can I avoid it?
Use this guide to find the fastest ready-signposted route between junctions – keeping your trip on the move when the carriageways clog.
M6 alternative routes from where you are
If you find yourself heading into M6 congestion or closure, use this list of emergency diversions as alternative routes to help navigate the jams. The list will tell you how long the alternative route is and where it starts and ends.
You can use the list to find the correct emergency symbol to follow– meaning there's no need to rely on maps or sat-nav devices when finding your way.
Key and how to use diversion: Find the junction intersection on the M6 motorway that you are close to by searching the list below, select the alternative route and follow the emergency diversion symbol as listed below.
Diversion: Length is stated in miles
Symbols: OT = Open Triangle – OC =Open Circle – OD = Open Diamond – OS = Outline Square
Symbols: FT = Filled Triangle – FC = Filled Circle – FD = Filled Diamond – FS = Filled Square
Direction: NB = Northbound – SB = Southbound
| Route | Direction | Symbol | Miles | M6 diversion |
| M6 | NB | OD | 4.1 | M6 NB Closure Jct 21a to 22 |
| M6 | NB | FT | 10.7 | M6 NB Jct 16 to Jct 17 |
| M6 | NB | FD | 6.6 | M6 NB Closure Jct 17 to 18 |
| M6 | NB | OT | 11.8 | M6 NB Closure 18 to 19 |
| M6 | NB | FS | 10.0 | M6 NB Closure Jct 19 to 20 |
| M6 | NB | OD | 8.0 | M6 NB Closure Jct20 to J21 |
| M6 | NB | OD | 7.5 | M6 NB Closure Jct20 to J21 pt2 |
| M6 | NB | FS | 4.9 | M6 NB Jct 21 to Jct 21a |
| M6 | NB | FS | 5.4 | M6 NB Closure Jct 22 to 23 |
| M6 | NB | OD | 4.4 | M6 NB Closure J23 to J24 |
| M6 | NB | FT | 17.3 | M6 NB Closure J24 to J25 |
| M6 | NB | FT | 5.9 | M6 NB Closure J25 to J26 |
| M6 | NB | OT | 5.5 | M6 NB Closure J26 to J27 Non HGV Route |
| M6 | NB | OT | 9.7 | M6 NB Closure J26 to J27 HGV Route |
| M6 | NB | OD | 12.4 | M6 NB Closure J27 to J28 |
| M6 | NB | FS | 2.9 | M6 NB Closure J28 to J29 |
| M6 | NB | OD | 6.7 | M6 NB Closure J30 to J31 |
| M6 | NB | OD | 8.1 | M6 NB Closure J30 to J31 pt2 |
| M6 | SB | OT | 7.9 | M6 SB Closure J21a to J21 |
| M6 | SB | OC | 10.7 | M6 SB Closure J17 to J16 |
| M6 | SB | FS | 6.6 | M6 SB Closure J18 to J17 |
| M6 | SB | FC | 12.0 | M6 SB J19 to J18 |
| M6 | SB | OT | 10.7 | M6 SB Closure J20 to J19 |
| M6 | SB | FC | 7.5 | M6 SB J21 to J20 |
| M6 | SB | FC | 3.1 | M6 SB Closure J22 toJ21a |
| M6 | SB | OT | 5.4 | M6 SB Closure J23 to J22 |
| M6 | SB | FC | 4.7 | M6 SB Closure J24 to J23 |
| M6 | SB | OS | 17.7 | M6 SB Closure J25 to J24 |
| M6 | SB | OS | 17.7 | M6 SB Closure J26 to J25 |
| M6 | SB | FS | 5.2 | M6 SB Closure J27 to J26 Non HGV Route |
| M6 | SB | FS | 9.3 | M6 SB Closure J27 to J26 HGV Route |
| M6 | SB | OS | 12.2 | M6 SB Closure J28 to J27 |
| M6 | SB | FC | 2.7 | M6 SB CLosure J29 to J28 |
| M6 | SB | FC | 2.9 | M6 SB CLosure J29 to J28 pt2 |
| M6 | SB | OT | 7.0 | M6 SB Closure J31 to J30 |
| M6 | SB | FD | 9.7 | M6 motorway - Junction 45 TO 44 |
| M6 | NB | OT | 5.0 | M6 motorway - Junction 43 TO 44 |
| M6 | SB | OS | 5.2 | M6 motorway - Junction 44 TO 43 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 4.5 | M6 motorway - Junction 42 TO 43 |
| M6 | SB | OD | 4.7 | M6 motorway - Junction 43 TO 42 |
| M6 | NB | FT | 14.1 | M6 motorway - Junction 41 TO 42 |
| M6 | SB | FS | 13.8 | M6 motorway - Junction 42 TO 41 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 5.4 | M6 motorway - Junction 40 TO 41 |
| M6 | SB | FD | 5.2 | M6 motorway - Junction 41 TO 40 |
| M6 | NB | OT | 13.7 | M6 motorway - Junction 39 TO 40 |
| M6 | SB | OS | 13.7 | M6 motorway - Junction 40 TO 39 |
| M6 | NB | OD | 26.4 | M6 motorway - Junction 36 TO 39 |
| M6 | SB | OC | 24.2 | M6 motorway - Junction 39 TO 36 |
| M6 | NB | FC | 21.2 | M6 motorway - Junction 34 TO 36 |
| M6 | SB | FD | 20.8 | M6 motorway - Junction 36 TO 34 |
| M6 | NB | OT | 7.8 | M6 motorway - Junction 33 TO 34 |
| M6 | SB | OS | 8.5 | M6 motorway - Junction 34 TO 33 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 15.9 | M6 motorway - Junction 32 TO 33 |
| M6 | SB | OD | 16.0 | M6 motorway - Junction 33 TO 32 |
| M6 | NB | FT | 6.6 | M6 motorway - Junction 31 TO 32 |
| M6 | EB | FT | 7.3 | M6 M6 J1 to M1 J19 EB Closure |
| M6 | WB | OT | 8.1 | M6 M1 J19 to M6 J1 WB Closure |
| M6 | WB | OT | 7.8 | M6 M1 J19 to M6 J1 WB Closure |
| M6 | SB | OT | 4.9 | A5127 Salford Circus and M6 SB Jct 6 to Jct 5 |
| M6 | NB | OS | 7.2 | M6 NB closure Jct 6 to Jct 7 |
| M6 | NB | OS | 13.5 | M6 NB Jct 6 to 7 for A38 M approach |
| M6 | NB | FD | 5.9 | M6 NB closure Jct 7 to Jct 8 |
| M6 | NB | OT | 5.6 | M6 Jct 7 to 8 |
| M6 | SB | OS | 8.5 | M6 Jct 8 to 7 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 7.4 | M6 Jct 8 Diverge to Jct 8 Converge |
| M6 | SB | OT | 6.5 | M6 Jct 9 to 8 for traffic to M5 South |
| M6 | NB | OD | 5.9 | M6 NB closure Jct 9 to Jct 10 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 4.1 | M6 NB closure Jct 10A to 11 |
| M6 | SB | FD | 4.2 | M6 SB closure Jct 11 to 10A |
| M6 | NB | OC | 4.7 | M6 NB closure Jct 11 to 11A |
| M6 | SB | OD | 4.2 | M6 SB closure Jct 12 to 11A |
| M6 | NB | OT | 18.6 | M6 NB Jct 1 to 2 |
| M6 | SB | OS | 20.8 | M6 Jct 4 to 3 |
| M6 | SB | OS | 11.2 | M6 SB Jct 3 to 2 |
| M6 | SB | OT | 17.2 | M6 SB Jct 2 to 1 |
| M6 | NB | OT | 13.7 | M6 Jct 15 to 14 |
| M6 | SB | OD | 8.7 | M42 Jct 4a to Jct 4 |
| M6 | SB | OD | 8.7 | M6 Jct 4a to jct 4 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 11.1 | M6 Jct 4a to 5 |
| M6 | NB | OS | 18.4 | M6 Jct 5 to 4a |
| M6 | SB | FS | 15.5 | M6 Jct 5 to 4a |
| M6 | NB | FC | 2.3 | M6 Jct 6 Diverge to Converge |
| M6 | NB | FC | 8.8 | Jct 6 Offslip Diverge to A38- A38 M |
| M6 | SB | OS | 6.9 | Jct 8 Converge |
| M6 | SB | OC | 7.0 | Jct 8 Diverge to Jct 8Converge |
| M6 | SB | OC | 3.8 | M6 J8 Diverge to M5 Converge |
| M6 | NB | OC | 5.7 | M6 J8 Diverge to M6 SB Converge |
| M6 | NB | OC | 3.7 | M6 J8 closure |
| M6 | SB | OS | 4.1 | SB closure Jct 9 to Jct 8 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 9.6 | M6 NB closure Jct 10/10A 11 and M54 WB |
| M6 | NB | OC | 14.6 | M6 NB closure Jct 10/10A |
| M6 | SB | FS | 9.5 | M6 Jct 11a to Jct 11 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 4.7 | M6 NB closure Jct 11A to 12 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 5.4 | M6 NB closure Jct 11A to 12 |
| M6 | SB | FS | 9.5 | M6 Jct 12 to 11a |
| M6 | NB | OC | 21.0 | M6 NB Jct 2 to 4 |
| M6 | NB | OT | 6.7 | M6 NB Jct 12 to 13 |
| M6 | NB | OD | 5.9 | M6 NB Jct 13 to Jct 14 |
| M6 | NB | OT | 13.9 | M6 Jct 14 to 15 |
| M6 | SB | OC | 6.9 | M6 NB Jct 13 to 12 |
| M6 | SB | OS | 6.5 | M6 SB Jct 14 to 13 |
| M6 | NB | OD | 12.7 | M6 Jct 15 to 16 |
| M6 | SB | OS | 12.4 | M6 Jct 16 to 15 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 12.8 | Jct 4A to 5 |
| M6 | NB | OC | 18.0 | Jct 4A to 5 |
| M6 | SB | OT | 19.4 | Jct 5 to 4A |
| M6 | NB | OC | 5.1 | Jct 5 to 6 |
| M6 | SB | OT | 13.4 | Jct 6 to 5 |
| M6 | SB | OD | 2.3 | M6 off slip roads To A38 M |
| M6 | SB | FC | 6.6 | M6 Jct 6 - A38M diverge to M6 North |
| M6 | NB | OT | 4.5 | M6 Jct 6 A38 M Diverge to M6 Spouth |
| M6 | NB | OS | 7.6 | M6 NB Jct 6 A5127 Salford Circus to M6 North |
| M6 | NB | FT | 16.9 | M6 Jct 6 closure for traffic to A5127 and A38 M |
| M6 | NB | OC | 2.3 | M6 Slip Road to Salford Circus from M6 North&South |
| M6 | NB | OC | 2.3 | M6 Jct 6 closure - M6 Salford Circus |
| M6 | SB | FS | 5.0 | M6 Jct 5 to Jct 4A |
| M6 | SB | OD | 5.7 | M6 SB closure Jct 7 to Jct 6 |
| M6 | NB | FD | 6.5 | M6 Toll Road Closure J3A To M6 Toll Junction 1 |
| M6 | NB | FT | 10.2 | M6 Toll Road Closure at M42 J9 To T3 |
| M6 | NB | FT | 6.6 | M6 Toll Road Closure T3 To T4 |
| M6 | NB | FC | 2.8 | M6 Toll Road Closure T4 To T5 |
| M6 | NB | FS | 8.1 | M6 Toll Road Closure T5 To T6 |
| M6 | NB | FD | 9.7 | M6 Toll Road Closure T6 To T7 |
| M6 | NB | FD | 3.8 | M6 Toll Road Closure T7 To T8 |
| M6 | NB | FD | 1.7 | M6 Toll Road Closure T8 To J11A |
| M6 | NB | FC | 5.1 | M6 Toll Road Closure J11A To J12 |
| M6 | SB | OT | 1.9 | M6 Toll Road Closure J11A To T8 |
| M6 | SB | OT | 3.7 | M6 Toll Road Closure T8 To T7 |
| M6 | SB | OD | 9.3 | M6 Toll Road Closure T7 To T6 |
| M6 | SB | OT | 7.5 | M6 Toll Road Closure T6 To T5 |
| M6 | SB | OC | 4.1 | M6 Toll Road Closure T5 To T4 |
| M6 | SB | OD | 6.5 | M6 Toll Road Closure T4 To T3 |
| M6 | SB | OC | 6.7 | M6 Toll Road Closure T3 To T2 |
| M6 | SB | OC | 1.8 | M6 Toll Road Closure T2 To T1 |
| M6 | SB | OT | 7.7 | M6 Toll Road Closure (M42) J8 To J7A (M6) |
| M6 | SB | OC | 9.5 | M6 Toll Road Closure (M42) J8 To J7A (M42 J6) |
| M6 | SB | OT | 6.0 | M6 Toll Road Closure (M42) J7A To J3A (M6) |
| M6 | SB | OC | 9.3 | M6 Toll Road Closure (M42) J7A To J3A (M42) |
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
What is the M6?
While some roads are popular with motorists, this certainly isn't a claim that many will level against the M6 – with a 2018 survey from InsuretheGap.com naming it as the UK's 2nd least favourite motorway behind the M25.
It's also the route that anyone travelling from London and the south east toward north-west England (and vice-versa) will likely find themselves joining.
Why is the M6 motorways known for heavy traffic and jams?
As the main western north-south motorway connecting the north-west of England with the South, it's no surprise one of the UK's major arteries suffers from regular clogging. With a high ratio of trucks mixing with cars, there are plenty of pinch-points where drivers can expect delays on a daily basis.
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Please note: Follow these signs at your own risk.. It is not possible to guarantee they will always be faster than remaining on the motorway.
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Author: Pete Barden:
Twitter: @pete_barden
Pete Barden is a qualified journalist who has written and produced for publications including The Sun (thesun.co.uk), New Statesman Media Group, Whatcar? (Whatcar.com) Stuff Magazine (Stuff.tv), Fastcar Magazine (Fastcar.co.uk), Maxim Magazine and UK broadcast stations within the Heart network (Formerly GCAP). Pete specialises in motoring and travel content, along with news and production roles. You can find out more about Pete Barden on LinkedIn.
