A section of the M25 was closed on Monday morning after a tipper truck struck a bridge on the clockwise carriageway between Junction 3 (Swanley) and Junction 4 (Orpington), leaving motorists in long queues ahead of the morning rush hour.
Kent Police and other emergency services were at the scene after the force received a call at about 4:46 a.m. reporting a lorry had hit the bridge. The collision, reported at around 5 a.m., led to a full closure of the carriageway to allow recovery crews and highways officers to secure the area and remove the vehicle.
National Highways traffic officers attended to manage traffic and implement an official diversion while specialist engineers were dispatched to inspect any structural damage to the bridge. A National Highways spokesperson urged drivers to allow extra journey time, to re-route or delay travel if possible, and to follow the hollow-triangle diversion symbol on road signs.
Drivers were instructed to exit the M25 clockwise at J3 Swanley, take the A20 towards London, continue to the A224 roundabout (Crittal's Corner) and follow the A224 to rejoin the M25 at Junction 4. The M25 clockwise entry slip at Junction 3 was also closed as a result of the incident.
"If this closure impacts on your planned route, please allow extra journey time. Plan ahead, you may wish to re-route or even delay your journey," the National Highways spokesperson said. The agency initially said it expected the road to be cleared and reopened between 8 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., but later warned that the nature of the recovery operation meant it could not confirm an estimated reopening time and that delays could persist.
Kent Police confirmed patrols attended the scene alongside highways officers and reiterated that the carriageway was closed at Junction 3 to allow the vehicle to be recovered. It was not immediately known whether anyone had been injured; ambulance services were approached for comment.
Traffic congestion built up on the clockwise carriageway and was reported stretching back to Junction 2 (Darenth Interchange), with National Highways systems showing delays of up to 45 minutes and around three miles of congestion affecting the A2 approach. The disruption also affected traffic on the anticlockwise side as congestion fed across junctions.
The M25, London's orbital motorway, is a major freight and commuter route; closures on the route during peak periods frequently cause widespread knock-on delays on surrounding roads. Specialist engineers and recovery crews remained at the scene to assess bridge damage and remove the vehicle safely before the carriageway could be fully reopened.
National Highways said its 24/7 contact centre could provide up-to-the-minute information on 0300 123 5000. Police and highways authorities continued to advise motorists to follow diversion signs and to allow additional travel time while recovery and inspections were carried out.