Carnage on the M25 as seven-mile stretch is closed for almost a DAY after cooking oil spill with drivers stuck in queues for up to SEVEN HOURS
- M25 closed between Junction 23 and Junction 25 in Hertfordshire this morning
- Closure began around 11am yesterday after a collision led to a cooking oil spill
- It remains in place today with National Highways warning of 120 minute delays
- Some drivers say they waited up to seven hours in traffic yesterday after the spill
A seven-mile stretch of Britain’s busiest motorway – the M25 – has been closed for more than 22 hours after a massive cooking oil spill.
Police have shut off the M25 clockwise between Junction 23, Borehamwood, and Junction 25, for Enfield, since 11.15am yesterday.
The closure came after a collision involving a lorry caused cooking oil to spill across the four-lane carriageway.
Yesterday, drivers claimed they were stuck for up to seven hours in the chaos, with one describing it as an ‘absolute nightmare’ and another as ‘hell on earth’.
The motorway, which carries 15 per cent of the UK’s motorway traffic, remains closed clockwise between Junctions 23 and 25 this morning.
Drivers are being warned to avoid the area, with two hour delays on approach this morning.
National Highways say the road is likely to remain closed throughout the morning ‘due to the complex nature of the clean-up’.
Police closed off the M25 between Junction 23, Boreham wood, and Junction 25, for Enfield, around 11am yesterday after a collision caused the spill across the clockwise carriageway.
The stretch of the motorway, which carries 15 per cent of the UK’s motorway traffic, remains closed this morning
National Highways say the road is likely to remain closed throughout the morning ‘due to the complex nature of the clean-up’
According to National Highways, there are currently delays of up to two hours between J21 and J23 on approach to the closure and 7 miles of congestion.
There are also delays on the A1 southbound on the approach to the M25 with 3 miles of congestion and 2 miles of congestion on the M25 anti-clockwise between J24 and J23.
Last night drivers complained of being stuck for up to seven hours in the carnage. Police and highways staff attempted to turn around the stuck traffic so it could be diverted.
However one driver said they were caught for up to seven hours in the disruption.
Responding to a Tweet about 60 minute delays, one Twitter user wrote: ‘It’s been 7 hours not 60 minutes.’
Another Twitter user wrote at 2.40pm yesterday: ‘I wish it was only 60 minutes. We haven’t moved for three hours now.’
Another wrote: ‘Motorway cameras saying 6pm. We cannot all wait that long surely… Been here since 11.35am.’
One Twitter user, writing yesterday afternoon while stuck with two children, one said to have ‘severe learning difficulties’, urged National Highways to update drivers.
Posting at 3.53pm yesterday, Kate Fenneberg wrote: ‘Please can we be told when we will move? Been stuck for four hours with two children, one with severe learning difficulties and he’s so stressed!
‘This is actual hell on earth! Why are more people not cleaning the spillage to get one lane open?’
Another criticised the speed of the clean up. Sharing a picture of two highways staff standing on the motorway, Twitter user Gary Ward wrote: ‘Slowest clean up ever. Absolute nightmare.’
Meanwhile, road users are being diverted away from the closed section of the M25 this morning.
They are instead advised to follow the Hollow Triangle diversion symbol on road signs From the M25 Junction 23 exit slip to roundabout and take the 5th exit onto A1 towards London.
They are then urged to follow the A1 towards Central London through ‘Stirling Corner’, ‘Apex Corner’ and ‘Mill Hill Circus’ to ‘Fiveways Corner’.
Drivers should then bear left onto A1 to ‘Henlys Corner’ and at Henlys Corner’ bear left and continue onto the A406 North Circular Road towards ‘Wood Green’.
Vehicles stuck on the M25 motorway after an accident where cooking oil has been spilt between junctions 24 and 25
Some motorists on the M25 said they were stuck in traffic for up to 7 hours following the cooking oil spill
Drivers claim they were stuck for up to seven hours yesterday, with one describing the closure as an ‘absolute nightmare’
Drivers are being warned to avoid the area, with two hour delays on approach this morning
They should then follow the A406 North Circular Road towards Enfield and at ‘Great Cambridge Junction’ take the exit slip to roundabout Take the 1st exit onto the A10 towards Hertford.
Follow the A10 towards Hertford and re-join M25 at Junction 25.
A spokesperson for National Highways said: ‘The M25 is closed in Hertfordshire clockwise between Junction 23 (Hatfield) and Junction 25 (Enfield) due to a collision which resulted in a large spillage of cooking oil.
‘The road is likely to remain closed throughout the morning due to the complex nature of the clean-up. Expect severe delays through this mornings peak period.’
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