Thousands of commuters and air passengers are facing serious disruption today after severe flooding forced the closure of the A4545 near Birmingham Airport, cutting off one of the key approach routes to the UK’s seventh-busiest aviation hub. The shutdown of the strategic link between the M42 and the A45 has triggered long delays, complicated airport access and raised broader concerns about the resilience of critical travel infrastructure in the West Midlands amid a prolonged spell of intense rainfall.
Severe Flooding Cuts a Critical Artery to Birmingham Airport
National Highways first confirmed the closure of the A4545 on the evening of Saturday, 7 February 2026, after torrential rain left deep standing water across the carriageway between the M42 near Solihull and the A45, which serves Birmingham Airport. All lanes in both directions were shut as the road became impassable, with traffic cameras and local reports showing large sections submerged under floodwater.
By the early hours of Sunday, 8 February, the agency was still warning that the route remained closed while specialist contractors worked through the night to pump away water and assess potential damage. Officials described the disruption level as severe, with delays of more than three hours reported on surrounding routes and a full closure still in place for the key A4545 northbound link.
The incident has hit at a particularly sensitive location. The A4545 acts as a primary feeder from the M42 into the A45 corridor, used daily by commuters heading towards Birmingham and Coventry as well as by passengers travelling to and from Birmingham Airport. With water over the carriageway and no safe way to maintain a partial opening, authorities opted to keep the road shut as engineers battled to bring the situation under control.
Thousands of Commuters Caught in Widespread Road Delays
The immediate impact has been felt by West Midlands commuters who rely on the A4545 as a core part of their daily journey. As traffic was forced off the motorway network onto local roads, diversion routes around Solihull, Elmdon and surrounding communities quickly became congested. Motorists reported long queues even in early morning periods that would normally see relatively free-flowing conditions.
Drivers heading towards business parks, industrial estates and residential areas near the airport found journey times dramatically extended. For many, the closure came on top of an already challenging travel environment, with ongoing localised flooding, surface water and spray affecting driving conditions across the region. Traffic monitoring services flagged stop-start conditions on a number of parallel corridors as vehicles sought to bypass the closure.
Some local employers warned staff to expect delays or to work from home where possible, given the uncertainty around how long the A4545 would remain shut. Others shifted meeting times and staggered shifts to help staff avoid the worst of the congestion. Yet despite such adjustments, the knock-on disruption has been difficult to avoid, with a major strategic link removed at short notice.
Birmingham Airport Passengers Urged to Travel Early and Check Status
For air travellers, the closure has added an unwelcome layer of complication to journeys at a time when many passengers are heading abroad for winter sun breaks or returning from business trips. Birmingham Airport advised passengers to leave additional time to reach the terminal, emphasising that road conditions could change quickly and that congestion was likely around peak flight departure and arrival windows.
Airlines have reminded customers that check-in and bag drop desks close well before departure, meaning even relatively modest delays on approach roads can be enough to jeopardise a flight. Airport staff have reported an increase in anxious passengers arriving at terminals later than usual, some after lengthy detours around the flooded section of road. While the airport’s airside operations have not been directly affected by the flooding, landside access has become a critical pinch point.
Some travellers have turned to rail connections into Birmingham International station, which sits adjacent to the airport, as an alternative to the congested road network. Others have shared taxis to reduce the number of vehicles caught in queues. However, with ongoing wet weather and broader rail disruption elsewhere in the country, public transport has not been entirely immune from the pressures triggered by days of heavy rain.
Authorities Deploy Pumps and Contractors in Overnight Operation
National Highways West Midlands confirmed that specialist pumping equipment and flood response teams were dispatched to the affected stretch shortly after the closure was imposed. Engineers have been working to identify the exact source of the standing water, monitor nearby watercourses and ensure that drainage systems are functioning effectively once rainfall levels subside.
Contractors are not only focused on removing the water but also on inspecting the carriageway for structural damage. Prolonged submersion can weaken road surfaces, damage sublayers and compromise safety barriers and electrical systems such as lighting and signage. Before the A4545 can reopen, officials must be confident that the road is safe for the tens of thousands of vehicles that typically use the route each day.
Local authorities in Solihull and the wider West Midlands region have been coordinating with National Highways, emergency services and the Environment Agency as they track river levels and further weather fronts moving across central England. While the immediate priority is reopening the A4545, teams are also monitoring nearby roads and bridges for similar flooding risks, mindful that another intense downpour could rapidly create fresh problems.
Record-Breaking Rainfall Puts West Midlands on Flood Watch
The disruption comes against the backdrop of a prolonged period of wet weather that has battered large parts of the UK. The West Midlands has been on effective flood watch after weeks of frequent, often intense rainfall left ground conditions saturated and river levels elevated. Officials have noted that the region has endured an unusually long sequence of rainy days, pushing drainage and river systems towards their limits.
Across the Midlands, flood alerts and warnings have been commonplace, particularly along the Severn and Avon catchments. While urban areas like Birmingham and Solihull benefit from substantial flood defences and engineered drainage networks, extreme weather can still overwhelm local capacity, leading to surface water pooling on roads, in underpasses and at low-lying junctions.
Meteorologists have warned that there is little sign of an immediate respite, with further bands of heavy rain expected to pass over central England in the coming days. That has raised concerns that the A4545 closure may foreshadow additional disruption if rainfall continues to outpace the ability of the ground and drainage systems to absorb it. For drivers and passengers alike, the immediate advice is to stay alert to changing conditions and official guidance.
Alternative Routes and Travel Advice for Affected Journeys
With the A4545 out of action, National Highways and local councils have put diversions in place, directing drivers to use sections of the M42, A41 and other local roads to connect with the A45 or bypass the flooded stretch. However, these alternatives are slower, more indirect and, in many cases, already operating near capacity during peak hours. Motorists are being urged to allow significant extra time and to avoid non-essential journeys through the area if possible.
For those heading to Birmingham Airport, transport experts advise planning a route that builds in flexibility. Where feasible, travellers may consider approaching from different directions to avoid the most heavily impacted junctions or making greater use of rail services to Birmingham International, particularly for those travelling from central Birmingham or from the south via the West Coast Main Line.
Authorities are also repeating a familiar but vital safety message: drivers should never attempt to drive through floodwater, regardless of apparent depth. What can look like a shallow puddle can in fact be deep enough to stall a vehicle, hide debris or even cause it to float. Rescue operations to recover stranded cars not only endanger occupants and emergency services but also prolong road closures and add to congestion.
Airlines and Local Businesses Count the Cost of Disruption
While the flooding has not directly grounded flights at Birmingham Airport, airlines and travel companies are already counting the indirect costs. Missed departures, last-minute rebookings and disrupted connections can quickly add up, particularly for carriers operating tight turnaround schedules. Some passengers have had to absorb the cost of changed tickets or overnight accommodation if they were unable to reach the airport in time for early morning flights.
Airport hotels, car hire firms and parking providers have also felt the impact. Late check-ins, extended car park stays and altered pickup times have required operational flexibility, with staff working to accommodate delayed arrivals and anxious guests. For businesses that rely on predictable passenger flows, any major break in surface access can be highly disruptive, even if it lasts only a day or two.
Local retailers and hospitality venues near the airport and along the A45 corridor may see reduced trade as passing traffic declines. At the same time, petrol stations and service areas on diversion routes have experienced spikes in demand as motorists refuel and take breaks during longer journeys. For the regional economy, the episode is a reminder that transport reliability is more than a matter of convenience; it is a key factor underpinning business operations and traveller confidence.
Calls Grow for Greater Resilience in Key Transport Corridors
The flooding of the A4545 is already prompting wider questions about the resilience of critical transport links serving major UK airports. Birmingham, like many regional hubs, depends heavily on a small number of arterial roads for passenger access, freight movements and commuter travel. When a single link is knocked out by weather, the ripple effects can be felt across a wide catchment.
Transport planners and climate experts have long warned that more frequent and intense rainfall events, linked to a warming climate, will challenge traditional road drainage and design standards. That has led to growing calls for investment in improved drainage infrastructure, flood storage solutions near key junctions and smarter monitoring systems that can identify rising risks before they translate into full closures.
For now, the priority remains the safe reopening of the A4545 and the restoration of normal travel patterns around Birmingham Airport. But as the West Midlands continues to endure unsettled weather, the episode will likely feed into ongoing debates about how the UK adapts its transport network for a future in which severe flooding events are expected to become more common.