Heavy flooding has forced the closure of the A4545 near Birmingham Airport, triggering major disruption for thousands of commuters and air passengers across the West Midlands. The key link road, which connects the M42 with the A45 and provides one of the main approaches to Birmingham Airport and the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), was shut in both directions on the evening of Saturday 7 February 2026. With floodwater still covering the carriageway into Sunday 8 February, motorists have been warned to expect lengthy delays, complex diversions and a potentially chaotic start to the working week.

The closure of the A4545 follows hours of persistent and heavy rainfall across the Midlands, part of a prolonged spell of wet weather that has left many rivers and drainage systems under strain. Water has pooled across the full width of the A4545 between the M42, near Solihull, and the junction with the A45 close to Birmingham Airport, making the route impassable and prompting National Highways to close the road in both directions.

Initial alerts were issued shortly before 9pm on Saturday 7 February, warning drivers that all lanes on the A4545 were shut because of flooding. By around 4am on Sunday 8 February, the road remained closed, with specialist contractors working through the night to pump water away and assess the integrity of the carriageway. Traffic monitoring services have classed the disruption as severe, with delays estimated at more than three hours for some journeys that would usually take a fraction of that time.

The A4545 is a relatively new but increasingly vital route, created to provide a more direct link from the M42 to the A45 and to ease pressure on older local roads close to the airport and NEC. Its enforced closure has, in effect, removed a primary access corridor for one of the UK’s busiest regional aviation hubs, just as weekend traffic and early holiday departures converge on the area.

Impact on Birmingham Airport Passengers

The immediate concern for many travellers is the effect on journeys to and from Birmingham Airport. With the A4545 out of action, traffic that would normally use the direct link from the M42 is being pushed onto alternative routes, including sections of the A45 Coventry Road and local roads through Solihull and surrounding communities. Queues have built rapidly around key junctions, including approaches to the airport’s main entrance and car parks.

Airport authorities have urged passengers to allow significantly more time than usual to reach the terminal, warning that journeys from central Birmingham, Coventry and other parts of the West Midlands may take far longer than normal. Those flying out on Sunday and into the coming days are being advised to leave home early, check for the latest traffic updates before setting out and consider using public transport where feasible, particularly rail links to Birmingham International station, which sits adjacent to the airport.

Inside the terminal, the disruption on surrounding roads has already begun to ripple through airline operations. Some flights have faced clusters of late-arriving passengers, forcing extended boarding times or minor delays to departures. While there have not yet been widespread cancellations linked directly to the A4545 closure, airlines are closely monitoring the situation and encouraging passengers to check in online and proceed promptly through security to minimise knock-on delays.

Commute Chaos Across the West Midlands

The closure of the A4545 is not only an aviation issue. It is also a major headache for thousands of daily commuters who rely on the corridor linking the M42, the A45 and surrounding business parks. The route serves a wide employment zone that includes logistics hubs, office parks and service industries clustered around Birmingham Airport and the NEC, as well as communities in and around Solihull and the eastern edge of Birmingham.

On Sunday, traffic feeds already showed heavy congestion building on the M42 near the affected junction, as well as on local roads being used as diversionary routes. For many drivers, journey times have more than doubled, with stop-start traffic conditions, particularly near bottlenecks and temporary traffic control points. Those travelling toward central Birmingham or Coventry have had to negotiate unfamiliar back roads or queue along sections of the A45 that are not designed to handle such concentrated volumes of diverted traffic.

Public transport has offered only partial relief. Although rail services to Birmingham International and central Birmingham are running, they have not been immune to the wider effects of the persistent rain, and some services have reported minor delays. Bus operators serving the airport and local communities have warned of timetable disruption and extended journey times, as vehicles are forced to divert around flooded sections and congested intersections.

National Highways and Emergency Response Efforts

National Highways West Midlands has taken the lead in coordinating the response on the A4545, in close cooperation with local authorities, emergency services and contractors. Soon after the flooding became apparent on Saturday evening, officials confirmed that specialist pumping and drainage equipment was being sent to the scene, with crews working overnight to bring water levels under control.

By early Sunday, statements issued through official channels reiterated that the A4545 remained fully closed while these efforts continued. Engineers on site have been tasked with not only clearing water but also inspecting the road’s surface and underlying structure for any signs of damage caused by prolonged submersion. Standing water can weaken asphalt and sub-base layers, potentially leading to potholes or structural failures if traffic is allowed back too soon.

Authorities have stressed that safety remains the paramount concern. Even once the visible water has been removed, the road will not reopen until engineers are satisfied that skid risks are manageable and that any debris, mud or contaminants left behind by floodwater are properly cleared. There is as yet no firm timeline for reopening, and officials have warned that the closure could extend into the working week if conditions do not improve or if additional issues are identified.

Weather Patterns and Ongoing Flood Risk

The disruption around Birmingham Airport is part of a wider pattern of weather-related challenges across the UK. The Midlands has endured a prolonged sequence of rain-laden weather systems in recent weeks, with meteorologists noting that some parts of the country have already seen far above average rainfall for early February. Saturated ground and high river levels have left drainage networks struggling to cope, increasing the likelihood of surface water flooding on major roads.

Recent storms have underlined the vulnerability of critical pieces of transport infrastructure to extreme weather. In the case of the A4545, the road’s configuration and surrounding topography have combined with intense rainfall to create a situation where water cannot drain away quickly enough, turning a busy dual carriageway into a shallow lake. Similar issues were seen on other arterial routes across the region in previous storms, serving as a reminder that the wider transport network is under increasing climate-related pressure.

Forecasters have cautioned that there is no immediate end in sight to unsettled conditions, with further periods of rain expected over the coming days. Residents and drivers in the West Midlands are being urged to monitor weather updates and flood warnings closely, to avoid non-essential travel in affected areas and never to attempt to drive through floodwater, which can conceal deep holes, strong currents or hidden debris.

Advice for Travellers: How to Navigate the Disruption

For those with imminent travel plans, whether by air or road, preparation and flexibility are essential. Passengers flying from Birmingham Airport are advised to check their flight status regularly through their airline or tour operator and to consider arriving at the airport significantly earlier than they normally would. Allowing an extra hour or more for the journey may prove wise, particularly during peak times when both local commuters and airport traffic coincide.

Travellers driving to the airport from the north or via the M42 should plan alternative routes that avoid the closed section of the A4545. While diversions are in place, they are already experiencing heavy congestion and may change as conditions evolve. Using rail connections to Birmingham International is likely to be a more predictable option for many, especially those with easy access to mainline services from Birmingham New Street, Coventry, or other regional hubs.

Commuters who rely on the A4545 corridor for daily journeys may wish to explore remote working or flexible hours where possible, at least until clearer information emerges on when the road might reopen. Car sharing, while helpful in reducing the number of vehicles on the road, must be balanced against the risk of shared delays, so those arrangements should be built around conservative estimates of journey times.

Broader Questions About Infrastructure Resilience

This latest disruption in the West Midlands is likely to reignite debate about the resilience of UK transport infrastructure in the face of increasingly volatile weather patterns. The A4545 is a relatively new route, designed to improve connectivity to Birmingham Airport and the NEC and to relieve pressure on older roads. Its closure so soon after heavy rain raises questions about drainage design, flood modelling and the adequacy of contingency planning for critical corridors.

Transport and environmental experts have long warned that motorways and trunk roads built for twentieth-century weather conditions may not be fully prepared for the extremes projected in the decades ahead. More frequent intense rainfall events, combined with urban development and aging drainage systems, increase the likelihood of sudden road closures and widespread disruption. In response, local and national authorities are under pressure to review vulnerable sections, invest in improved drainage, and integrate climate resilience into both new projects and maintenance programmes.

Communities living near busy transport hubs such as Birmingham Airport also bear the brunt of repeated disruptions. Rat-running on local roads, increased noise, and longer queues outside residential areas can all result when a major route is suddenly removed from the network. As such, the A4545 closure is not only a logistical issue but a reminder of the social and environmental costs that accompany infrastructure vulnerabilities.

Looking Ahead: What Travellers Can Expect Next

For now, the priority remains the safe reopening of the A4545. National Highways and local partners will continue pumping operations, inspections and clean-up work throughout Sunday and into the early part of the week. Once water levels have been sufficiently reduced and the surface has been cleared of debris, officials will make a decision on whether partial reopening, with lane restrictions, is possible or whether a full closure must remain in place for longer.

Travellers should be prepared for a phased return to normality, rather than an immediate restoration of pre-flood conditions. Even after the road reopens, residual congestion is likely as delayed journeys work their way through the system and as many drivers continue to divert out of caution or habit. Timetables for buses and shuttles serving the airport area may also take time to stabilise.

In the meantime, those planning journeys through the West Midlands are advised to plan carefully, allow extra time and maintain flexibility. The flooding of the A4545 has once again highlighted how quickly essential travel plans can be thrown off course by extreme weather and infrastructure vulnerabilities. For the thousands of people who rely daily on this corridor, the hope is that the current disruption will be short lived, and that lessons learned from this incident will feed into a more resilient transport network for the future.