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A crash caused significant disruption to motorists on the M25 and an earlier vehicle fire forced closures and led to diversion routes on key sections of the motorway. The incidents led to long queues, heavy traffic jams and significant delays during peak travel times.
Authorities redirected traffic to alternative routes, putting additional strain on surrounding roads and increasing travel times for commuters across the region.
M25 traffic update: Road reopened but delays remain
Authorities later confirmed that the affected sections of the highway had been reopened. However, delays continued as traffic slowly decreased. Officials warned that it could take some time for the traffic jam to fully ease, especially given previous diversions and the backlog of vehicles.
M25 traffic: Accident causes rush hour delays
A collision on the M25 clockwise between Junction 12 (London) and Junction 13 (Windsor) caused immediate disruption during the morning rush hour. With emergency services on site, lanes were blocked, leading to long queues and slow-moving traffic.
The incident quickly escalated into a major traffic problem, causing traffic jams as vehicles were forced to slow down or stop altogether.
M25 Traffic: Six miles of traffic jam reported
Traffic built up to six miles on the approach to the affected route, causing delays of up to 30 minutes. The extent of the congestion highlighted the impact of just a single incident on one of Britain’s busiest motorways.
Traffic cameras showed long queues stretching across several intersections as drivers tried to avoid the disruption.
M25 traffic update: Full diversion routes
Drivers were advised to follow the hollow triangle detour symbol on road signs. The official detour route is:
- Leave the M25 at junction 20 (Hemel Hempstead).
- At the roundabout take the 4th exit onto the A41 towards London
- Continue on the A41 towards Watford
- At the A41/A405 junction at Leavesden Green, take the exit onto the A405
- Follow the A405 towards St Albans
- Rejoin the M25 at junction 21A
- At the roundabout take the 3rd exit back onto the M25 clockwise
The M25 traffic diversions are causing severe local congestion
The diversion routes quickly became overloaded as traffic was diverted from the motorway onto smaller roads. The areas around Watford, Leavesden and St Albans experienced a large increase in traffic volumes, causing further delays.
Commuters reported slow-moving traffic and longer travel times as local roads struggled to accommodate the additional vehicles, especially during rush hour.
M25 traffic update: emergency services and official advice
Emergency services responded immediately to the incidents and worked to clarify the accident and regulate traffic flow. Despite their efforts, there were several hours of delays due to the extent of the disruption.
A National Highways spokesperson said: “If this closure impacts your planned route, please allow extra travel time. Plan, you may wish to reroute or even delay your route.”
M25 Traffic: Vehicle fire led to closure overnight
Previously, another section of the M25 between Junction 20 (Hemel Hempstead) and Junction 21 (M1) had to be closed due to a heavy goods vehicle fire. The highway remained closed for over ten hours as crews conducted emergency road resurfacing work due to the damage caused by the fire.
This earlier incident exacerbated the disruption and made conditions more difficult for drivers who were already dealing with accident-related delays.
