*This is a developing story — updates will follow as more details emerge.*
Drivers are facing major delays on the M25 this lunchtime after a car transporter crashed into another car on the anticlockwise carriageway near Chipstead.
The collision happened between Clacket Lane Services and junction 5 for the M26, with one lane closed and traffic queuing for three miles, according to the AA.
## What we know so far
The crash involves a car transporter and one other car. Lane one of four is shut while the scene is dealt with, and the AA warned of “queueing traffic for three miles” through the affected stretch.
No details have yet been released about any injuries, and no emergency services statement has been published at the time of writing.
The stretch of the M25 between Clacket Lane Services and the M26 junction is one of the busiest on the London orbital — it carries traffic heading between Kent, Surrey and the wider south-east, so even a single-lane closure at lunchtime can quickly build long tailbacks in both directions as drivers slow to look.
## Second crash reported at Potters Bar
The incident near Chipstead is one of two crashes being reported on the M25 this afternoon, with a separate collision also reported near Potters Bar. Details of that second incident are still emerging and have not yet been confirmed.
Motorists heading anticlockwise should expect the delays to build through the afternoon, particularly as the evening rush hour approaches. Anyone travelling between Kent and Surrey — or joining the M25 at junctions around the south-east quadrant — should allow extra time or consider alternative routes.
## Why this stretch clogs so quickly
The M25 between Clacket Lane and the M26 is a notorious pinch point. It funnels traffic from the M26 and A21 into the orbital, and there are few easy alternatives once you are on it — the parallel A25 through the Surrey villages cannot absorb motorway volumes, so drivers who divert often end up in slow village traffic instead.
If you are already caught in the queue, the advice from motoring organisations is consistent: stay in lane, keep your distance, switch off the engine if traffic is at a standstill for a long period, and never use the hard shoulder unless directed. With a car transporter involved, recovery is likely to take longer than a standard two-car shunt — these vehicles need specialist recovery equipment and the carriageway must be cleared of any debris before lanes reopen.
## How to stay updated
Traffic on the M25 can change quickly while a scene is being cleared. Drivers can check live conditions before setting off through National Highways’ traffic updates and the AA’s road reports, and should keep a safe distance in queuing traffic — rear-end shunts in stop-start queues are one of the most common causes of secondary collisions on motorways.
London Streets will update this story as more information becomes available, including details of the Potters Bar incident and any word on when the closed lane is expected to reopen.
