Major M25 Crash Sparks Severe Motorway Delays
A serious multi-vehicle collision has caused severe disruption on the M25 this morning, leading to delays of over 90 minutes for drivers. The incident occurred on the anti-clockwise carriageway, creating major tailbacks during the morning rush.
Location and Lane Closures
The crash happened between junction 17 for Rickmansworth and junction 16 at the Hockley Heath Interchange. In an update on social media platform X, National Highways confirmed that lanes 3 and 4 of 4 remain closed to allow for recovery and investigation work. Recovery vehicles have been dispatched to the scene to clear the involved vehicles.
National Highways stated: "Lanes 3 and 4 (of 4) remain closed on the #M25 anti-clockwise between J17 #Rickmansworth and J16 #M40 due to a multi-vehicle collision. Recovery is en route to the scene. There are heavy delays above an hour on approach. Please allow plenty of journey time if possible."
Travel Impact and Advice
The closure has resulted in heavy delays extending to more than 90 minutes for motorists approaching the affected section. Traffic is building back from the incident site, causing significant disruption to the key orbital route around London.
Drivers are being strongly advised to allow a substantial amount of extra time for their journeys if they must travel in the area. Alternative routes are likely to be heavily congested as traffic seeks to avoid the closed lanes on the M25. The advice from authorities is clear: plan ahead, expect long delays, and consider postponing non-essential travel until the situation is resolved.
The incident, reported in the early hours of Wednesday, 3 December 2025, is a developing story. Further updates on lane re-openings and clearance times are expected from National Highways and traffic monitoring services throughout the morning.
