Emergency services are attending a multi-vehicle crash on the M25 near Clacket Lane services in Surrey, close to Godstone, with drivers warned to expect delays on one of the busiest stretches of London’s orbital motorway.
Police, fire and ambulance crews were called to the scene on Friday morning, and the crash was first reported at around 9.38am. Motorists travelling on the M25 have been told to brace for hold-ups while the emergency response continues.
This is a developing story. Follow our live updates below.
What we know so far
Here is what has been confirmed about the incident at this stage:
- A multi-vehicle crash has happened on the M25 near Clacket Lane services, close to Godstone in Surrey.
- Police, fire and ambulance crews are attending the scene.
- The crash was first reported at around 9.38am on Friday, 23 October.
- Drivers have been warned to expect delays in the area.
Details remain limited. It has not yet been confirmed which carriageway is affected or in which direction the crash happened, and no information has been released about the number of vehicles involved or whether anyone has been injured. We will update this page as soon as the emergency services confirm more.
Where the crash happened
Clacket Lane services sit on the M25 between junctions 5 and 7 in Surrey, just beyond London’s boundary. The service area straddles the motorway, serving traffic in both directions, and the stretch around Godstone is one of the most heavily used sections of the 117-mile orbital route.
Because the M25 is the main ring road around the capital, any incident here can quickly send queues rippling back for miles in both directions, particularly during the morning peak when commuter traffic is at its heaviest.
Disruption on a day of travel chaos
Today’s crash comes on a day when travel across the capital and the South East is already under severe pressure. Storm Austen is sweeping through, with a Met Office yellow warning for wind in force from 10am until 9pm and gusts of more than 70mph expected in exposed areas.
Earlier this morning the M25 was hit by flooding between junction 25 at Enfield and junction 24 at Potters Bar, with lanes closed and queues stretching back towards Waltham Abbey. You can follow all of today’s weather-related disruption on our Storm Austen live blog.
There is no confirmation that the weather played any part in the crash near Clacket Lane services, and drivers should not assume a link. But the conditions mean extra caution is needed on the roads this morning, with standing water and strong gusts a hazard in their own right.
A bad week on the M25
It has been a difficult week for drivers on the orbital motorway. On Wednesday evening the M25 was brought to a standstill near Swanley after a vehicle fire, with traffic held in both directions while fire crews dealt with the blaze. Planned weekend closures across the M25, including the Dartford Crossing, are also set to add to the misery for motorists from tonight.
Anyone heading towards Kent, Surrey or the Channel ports today should allow plenty of extra time, check live traffic updates before setting off, and consider delaying non-essential journeys until the emergency response has cleared.
For drivers already on the M25, the usual advice applies: stay in lane, keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front, and watch for matrix signs and speed restrictions as you approach the scene. With Storm Austen bringing gusts of 70mph or more to exposed stretches, high-sided vehicles and caravans are at particular risk and may be better kept off the motorway until the wind eases this evening.
Clacket Lane is one of the few service areas on the Surrey stretch of the M25, so it also acts as a natural break point for long-distance traffic heading to and from the coast. That makes the surrounding section especially busy on Friday mornings, when freight and holiday traffic joins the regular commuter flow around the capital.
We are following this story as it develops. The live blog above will carry the latest confirmed updates from the emergency services and traffic authorities throughout the morning.
