The M49 has closed in both directions near Bristol after a serious crash involving two lorries and a car.
It shut after a serious crash between M5 junction 18 Avonmouth Docks and M4 J22 Severn Road Bridge. Three casualties were taken to hospital, the police confirmed.
The road remained closed throughout the rush hour, and it is not expected to reopen until the crash investigation is complete.
It comes after a lorry burst into flames on the A282 near Dartford Crossing, forcing the firefighters to empty the load onto the carriageway, followed by another major crash on the M25 in Hertfordshire.
Update after three injured in M49 crash
The M49 remains closed in both directions almost four hours after the crash at about 4pm between the M4 and M5 junctions near Severn Beach outside Bristol.
Avon and Somerset Police said: ‘Emergency services were called just after 4pm on Friday 30 August to a collision involving two lorries and a car.
‘Three casualties are going to hospital.
‘The road is expected to remain closed for some time for collision investigation and pending recovery of the vehicles.
‘If you saw what happened or have any dashcam footage we’d like to hear from you. Please call 101 and give the log number 724 of 30 August.’
Long delays after major crash closes M49
The M49 has shut in both directions after a serious collision in Gloucestershire near Bristol.
Drivers were warned of long delays in the area, and diversions are in place.
The road remains closed in both directions for a collision investigation and recovery of the vehicles.
Serious crash on the M25 in Hertfordshire
Traffic ground to a halt on the M25 between J16 Uxbridge and J17 Rickmansworth after a serious crash.
While all lanes have now reopened, congestion and tailbacks are building in the area in both directions.
National Highways warned previously of up to 90-minute delay.
All lanes reopen after lorry fire near Dartford
All lanes have now reopened after the lorry fire which forced the firefighters to empty its load onto the carriageway.
Here is the latest from National Highways.
Rotherhithe Tunnel closure after crash
The Rotherhithe Tunnel A101 in east London has closed in both directions after a crash shortly before 3pm.
Traffic has ground to a halt on approach to the tunnel in both directions, the latest TfL alert says.
The crash happened on the Tunnel Approach A101 at the junction of A13 Commercial Road in Limehouse.
Drivers were told to use other routes.
Moorgate station has reopened
Following an earlier fire alert at Moorgate, the station has fully reopened.
However Great Northern Rail are warning that there will still be some cancellations and delays while services return to normal.
The latest on the M25 lane closures
Fire alarm forces Moorgate station to evacuate
All lines have been closed following the station evacuation, affecting all Great Northern services to and from Moorgate.
Services will be cancelled, altered or diverted away from the area.
Where services are diverted, this will affect those which usually run towards Moorgate. After Finsbury Park, diverted trains will serve Kings Cross only.
Trains which usually start from Moorgate may start from Finsbury Park instead.
Because of these changes, there will be no Great Northern services at Old Street, Essex Road, Highbury & Islington or Drayton Park.
Drivers on the M25 once again seeing delays
As today is a day with ‘day’ in it, the M25 is experiencing delays.
There’s congestion on the motorway anti-clockwise between J3 (M20 J1/Swanley), traffic cameras show.
While highway officials haven’t made an official alert warning about congestion, RAC is showing delays Kent-way too due to construction works and a lane being closed.
‘Delays of nine minutes on M25 anticlockwise between J26 A121 Honey Lane (Waltham Abbey) and J24 A111 Stagg Hill (Potters Bar). Average speed 20mph,’ it says.
Getting to Heathrow is a little easier now
Things are looking up when it comes to getting to Heathrow.
TfL is reporting that service on the Elizabeth line – a major way to get to the west London airport – is running smoothly.
There are ‘no disruptions’ either on the Heathrow Express.
However National Rail is warning that there is still some residual disruption.
M5 clogged with congestion
Traffic is being reported from drivers along the M5, which stretches from the Midlands to the South West.
The motorway was already congested this morning around Bristol, with traffic backing up by about three miles.
Congestion was reported earlier on the M5 southbound J2 (Dudley/Oldbury) and J3 (Quinton) as well as northbound within J27 (Halberton/Culmstock) by the monitoring service Motorway Cameras.
‘Between Junction 4 and 5 on m5 South is gridlocked,’ wrote one X user.
Southeastern lines have reopened after signal fault at Lenham
The line was blocked from 10.10am until about 11am so staff could carry out repairs.
This work has now been completed and the signalling problem has been fixed.
Trains can now stop at Lenham as scheduled, but it’s been warned that trains towards London via Maidstone East could still be cancelled or revised while service recovers.
No trains between London Bridge and Charing Cross for 90 minutes
There’s another signalling system fault this morning, this time between London Bridge and Charing Cross, which is blocking all lines while repairs take place.
It’s affecting Southeastern Services from Charing Cross to Dover Priory/Ashford International/Hastings/Tunbridge Wells/Maidstone East/Faversham/Gravesend/Dartford/Sevenoaks/Hayes.
Services will be unable to serve Waterloo East or Charing Cross, with trains being diverted into Cannon Street or Victoria, or terminated and restarted at London Bridge.
From 11am for around 45 minutes the line between London Bridge and Charing Cross will be blocked to allow Network Rail to carry out this repair work.
Two incidents on the M25 causing issues
Overall the M25 has been behaving itself fairly well today, but there are a couple of incidents drivers should be aware of.
- There’s one lane closed on the anticlockwise carriageway at junction 10 for the A3 after an accident
- There’s a broken down vehicle on the junction 3 exit slip road for the M20
Latest from Heathrow Express
Crew shortages lead to cancellations between Euston and St Albans Abbey
Disruption is expected between 1.45-3.15pm, with four services already cancelled and the possibility of more cancellations.
It’s affecting trains between London Euston or Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey.
The following trains have already been cancelled:
- 13:45 Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey
- 14:08 St Albans Abbey to Watford Junction
- 14:45 Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey
- 15:08 St Albans Abbey to Watford Junction
Disruption to Southeastern services between Ashford International and London
A signal fault at Lenham has blocked the line towards London in Kent.
Routes between Ashford International and Maidstone East/London Victoria/London Charing Cross, and between Ramsgate/Minster and London Victoria are being disrupted.
A Southeastern spokesperson explained: ‘During overnight inspections, a fault with the signalling system has been discovered at Lenham, which means trains towards London cannot call at the station.
‘Trains towards London via Maidstone East will not call at Lenham station.
‘Services from Ashford International can use an alternative section of track to travel towards Maidstone East.
‘Services towards Ashford are unaffected.’
Reduced service between Bedford and Bletchley this afternoon
There’s a shortage of London Northwestern Railway train crew which will impact services between Bedford and Bletchley between 3.45pm until around 10.30pm.
So far, the services cancelled include:
- 15:47 Bedford to Bletchley
- 17:45 Bletchley to Bedford
- 18:47 Bedford to Bletchley
- 20:45 Bletchley to Bedford
- 21:47 Bedford to Bletchley
Lines reopen after trespasser at Shepherds Bush
National Rail warns that services could still be cancelled or delayed by up to half an hour while things return to normal now that the trespass incident has been dealt with.
The delay in switching the power back on after the trespasser was removed from the track was caused by a fault in the system allowing the power to be reinstated.
Power supply to the electric third rail had to be turned off while the trespasser was still on the line.
Man fighting for his life after ‘road rage’ incident in Bexleyheath
The incident happened at around 5.25am last Tuesday, August 20 and a man was found with a head injury at traffic lights on Erith Road.
He’s still in critical condition in hospital and his family has been informed.
Met officers arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of grievous bodily harm on the same day, and he’s been bailed pending further enquiries.
Police are now appealing for anyone who saw the assault or has dashcam footage.
Detective Constable Katie McGinn said: ‘We believe that the victim sustained his injuries following a traffic incident, and subsequent altercation, involving a man from another vehicle.
‘If you saw any part of this sequence of events, or if you have footage, please do get in touch.’
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