A van fire has forced the closure of the M26 westbound towards the M25 this morning, with drivers facing severe delays and queues stretching back towards Leybourne.
The vehicle fire was first reported at around 6.28am, and traffic has been held near the M25 since around 7am. The motorway remains closed between J3 at the M20 and the M25.
Although the fire has now been extinguished, there is no confirmed reopening time for the westbound carriageway. Traffic is also queueing for around one mile on the eastbound carriageway from the M25, where both lanes remain open but delays are building.
Motorists travelling towards the M25 are being told to allow significant extra time. This newspaper is running live updates below as the situation develops.
The closure adds to a difficult day for London’s road network — the M25 at junction 15 faces a weekend closure between the M4 slip roads, while Storm Austen is expected to bring disruption on Friday.
