The west tunnel of the Dartford Crossing has been closed for emergency repairs after an oversized lorry struck essential infrastructure on Friday at around midday. The incident occurred between J1a (Littlebrook Interchange at Dartford) and J31 (Purfleet-on-Thames/West Thurrock).
National Highways reported that the lorry, exceeding the permissible height, entered the left tunnel and damaged multiple pieces of equipment, including ventilation systems, CCTV, and fire detection and suppression systems. These systems are critical for safe tunnel operation, and traffic cannot flow until they are fully operational.
Engineers have been working in overlapping shifts since the crash to assess and repair the damage. However, due to the extent of the damage, the tunnel is likely to remain closed throughout Saturday. The east (right) tunnel remains open, but drivers are advised to expect congestion.
“We understand the disruption this closure has on those planning on using the northbound Dartford Crossing. We have all available personnel and resources available continuing to work at pace to address this issue and get the damaged tunnel reopened as soon as it is safe to do so,” National Highways said in a statement.
