Tarmac shortage hits M6 drivers

A motorway closure which led to miles of tailbacks in Birmingham was caused by road workers running out of tarmac, police have said.

The M6 was closed between junctions six at Short Heath, near Erdington, and seven at Great Barr overnight while resurfacing work was carried out.

A spokeswoman from Central Motorway Police said the road had been due to reopen at 0600 BST on Friday.

Traffic is slow moving back to junction ten at Bentley, near Willenhall.

Lorry crash

A Highways Agency spokeswoman said the roadworks were cleared just before 0800 but for various reasons there were traffic delays.

She said the closure of the M54 was having a knock-on effect.

The Shropshire stretch is likely to be closed until lunchtime after a lorry jackknifed and ripped through a 100 metre section of central reservation.