The M25 was closed in both directions in Surrey overnight after a serious crash, and Surrey Police have warned drivers heading to Heathrow to allow extra time as delays continue into Tuesday morning.
The motorway shut between junction 10 (Wisley) and junction 11 (Chertsey) following what police described as a serious collision at 11.55pm on Monday, 31 August, according to The Mirror and the Express, both of which are running live coverage of the incident.
Surrey Police said in a statement carried by both outlets: "The M25 is currently closed both ways between J10, Wisley and J11, Chertsey due to a serious collision. If travelling to Heathrow Airport or Gatwick Airport, please check your travel time before you depart as your journey is likely to be impacted."
National Highways traffic officers were sent to the scene to help manage traffic, and vehicles caught inside the closure were released gradually using a rearward relief operation, a method used to clear queued traffic back along the carriageway before a road is fully reopened. The Mirror reported the closure was expected to last several hours while a police investigation team attended the scene. No details on injuries or the vehicles involved had been released by either outlet at the time of writing.
Junctions 10 and 11 of the M25 sit on the southwest side of the motorway's loop around London, on a stretch used by drivers approaching Heathrow from Surrey and the A3. With the road shut, traffic heading for the airport from that direction has been diverting via other routes, adding to journey times during the Tuesday