A section of the M25 motorway is closed after a crash involving two lorries, one of which was carrying waste and overturned, spilling oil, diesel and waste onto the carriageway.
National Highways said the road will be closed anti-clockwise from junction 6 (Godstone Interchange, Surrey) to junction 5 (Chevening Interchange, Kent) throughout the Wednesday morning peak period. The closure is affecting thousands of vehicles heading to or from Heathrow and Gatwick airports, the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone.
The Government-owned company warned the closure is likely to be protracted due to the need for an extensive clean-up and recovery operation. It also said the road will likely need resurfacing before it can reopen.
A diversion route has been created using A roads, and traffic caught within the closure is being released past the crash site. National Highways reported the incident at 4.14am on Wednesday, and by shortly after 7am there were delays of 40 minutes on the approach to the closed section.
