This is a developing story. Information is limited and the situation on the road may change. We will update this article as more details become available.
Two lanes of the M25 have been closed clockwise between Potters Bar and Enfield following a crash, with drivers warned to expect long delays.
The collision happened between junction 24 for the A111 at Stagg Hill, Potters Bar, and junction 25 for the A10 at Enfield, in an area described as near Waltham Cross.
The AA, which first flagged the incident, said lanes one and two of the four-lane carriageway were shut about a mile before junction 25, with queueing traffic building behind the scene.
In an update issued at 1:08pm on Friday, the motoring organisation warned of long delays on the clockwise carriageway. An earlier update at 1:02pm had reported the lane closures and growing queues, suggesting the disruption began early in the afternoon and queues formed quickly once the lanes were shut.
Little else is known at this stage. There has been no information released about the vehicles involved, and nothing from the emergency services about injuries. It is also unclear how long the closures will last or whether any diversion route is being put in place.
The closure comes on a Friday afternoon, when the M25 – the busiest motorway in Britain – is already carrying heavy weekend getaway traffic. Fridays are typically busy on the road network as commuter traffic mixes with people heading away for the weekend. Even with two lanes still running past the scene, the need for traffic to merge is creating a bottleneck, and tailbacks are expected to grow through the afternoon.
Drivers planning to use the motorway this weekend should also be aware of planned engineering works elsewhere on the network – we have rounded up every scheduled M25 closure and diversion in one place.
If you are due to travel clockwise around the northern stretch of the M25, check live traffic information before you set off. With no confirmed reopening time, delaying your journey until the lanes are cleared may be the simplest way to avoid a long wait.
For drivers who know the area, local roads offer a possible way around the closure. The A10 runs broadly parallel to this part of the motorway and joins it at junction 25, while the A111 serves Potters Bar at junction 24. But there is no official diversion in place, and surrounding routes are likely to be congested too – check a live map before committing to a detour, especially if you don’t know the roads.
Anyone already caught in the queues should stay in their vehicle, keep a safe gap to the car in front and keep the hard shoulder clear for emergency vehicles. If traffic grinds to a complete halt, switch off the engine to save fuel, keep your phone charged so you can check for updates, and make sure you have water and any essential medication within reach – Friday afternoon closures can easily drag on into the evening rush.
Above all, don’t be tempted to walk along the carriageway or attempt U-turns between carriageways. It is frustrating to sit in stationary traffic, but the motorway is a dangerous place on foot.
It is the latest in a string of disruptive incidents on London’s orbital motorway. Earlier this week, emergency crews rushed to the M25 near Enfield after a lorry crash, and at the end of September a car transporter crash near Chipstead left drivers stuck in three-mile queues.
We will update this story as soon as more information is available. If you are travelling in the area this afternoon, allow plenty of extra time and drive with care.
