Thousands face lengthy delays after lorry collision and damaged bridge joint force major road closures during Monday morning rush hour
Commuters across Kent faced travel misery this morning as both the M20 and M25 motorways were forced to shut in the same area, causing widespread disruption during the Monday morning rush hour.
The M25 clockwise carriageway remains closed between Junction 3 for the M20 at Swanley and Junction 4 for Orpington following a serious collision involving a tipper lorry that struck a bridge. Emergency services, including Kent Police and structural engineers, were scrambled to the scene at approximately 4:46am.
Meanwhile, the M20 eastbound is shut between Junction 7 for Maidstone and Junction 8 for Hollingbourne after overnight roadworks revealed a damaged bridge joint requiring emergency replacement. The repairs were not completed by the scheduled 6am deadline, leaving the busy route closed well into the morning.
Bridge Strike Causes M25 Closure
The M25 incident occurred when a tipper truck collided with the Crockenhill Road bridge, becoming wedged beneath the structure. The impact has raised serious concerns about potential structural damage, prompting a full inspection by engineers before the road can be reopened.
National Highways confirmed the severity of the situation, stating: “The M25 in Kent is closed clockwise between J3 (M20, Swanley) and J4 (Orpington) due to a collision. Emergency Services including Kent Police are in attendance. National Highways Traffic Officers are also on scene assisting with traffic management.”
The collision also resulted in a spillage of hydraulic fluid across the carriageway, adding complexity to the clean-up operation. Traffic has backed up as far as Junction 2 at the Darenth Interchange, with delays of up to 50 minutes reported against normal journey times.
Normal traffic conditions are not expected to resume until after 1pm, with the closure anticipated to last until between 11:30am and 11:45am at the earliest, according to traffic monitoring services.
M20 Bridge Joint Failure
The M20 closure stems from overnight maintenance work that uncovered more serious problems than anticipated. Workers discovered a damaged bridge joint affecting all three lanes of the eastbound carriageway between Junctions 7 and 8.
National Highways explained: “During overnight roadworks a damaged bridge joint was identified impacting all 3 lanes. The bridge joint requires a full replacement before the road can be re-opened. We are working on arranging emergency replacement work to occur as soon as possible.”
The authority apologised for the inconvenience, confirming they cannot currently provide an estimated reopening time but advising road users to expect the motorway to remain closed beyond the morning peak period.
Diversion Routes in Place
National Highways has established official diversion routes for both closures to help motorists navigate around the affected areas.
For the M25 closure, drivers are advised to:
- Exit the M25 clockwise at Junction 3 (Swanley Interchange)
- At the roundabout, take the fifth exit onto the A20 towards London
- Continue until the A224 roundabout (Crittal’s Corner)
- At Crittal’s Corner roundabout, take the first exit onto A224 towards Orpington
- At the A224/M25 Link Hewitts Roundabout, take the first exit onto the M25 link
- At the next roundabout (M25 Junction 4), take the second exit to rejoin the M25
Motorists affected by the M20 closure should follow the hollow circle diversion symbol:
- Exit the M20 at Junction 7 onto the A249 towards Bearsted Road
- Turn southeast towards New Cut Road
- Travel along the A20 to rejoin the M20 at Junction 8
Weather Adds to Challenges
The disruption comes as a yellow weather warning for wind has been issued across England, creating additional hazards for high-sided vehicles and adding to the difficulties faced by recovery teams working at height on the bridge structures.
The combination of poor weather conditions, emergency repairs, and collision recovery has created what traffic analysts describe as a “perfect storm” of travel disruption across southeast England.
Impact on Commuters
The dual closures have affected thousands of commuters who rely on these major routes for their daily journeys. Both the M20 and M25 are critical arteries for Kent’s transport network, with the M20 serving as the main route to the Channel ports and the M25 forming London’s orbital motorway.
Traffic monitoring services show extensive congestion on alternative routes, with the A2 experiencing 10-mile tailbacks from the M2 Medway Viaduct past Gravesend, whilst A20 queues stretch from Leybourne past Brands Hatch.
Motorists have been urged to allow significant extra journey time, delay travelling if possible, or seek alternative routes. Local radio stations and traffic services continue to provide regular updates as the situation develops.
National Highways has committed to keeping road users informed of any changes to conditions throughout the day, though both closures are expected to cause disruption well into the afternoon.
The incidents highlight the vulnerability of the region’s transport infrastructure, with single points of failure capable of causing widespread disruption across the network. As emergency teams work to clear both incidents, authorities are reminding drivers to check traffic conditions before travelling and to consider whether their journey is essential.
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