Dartford Crossing will stay shut for hours after crash

The Dartford Crossing will be closed for the rest of the afternoon after a crash between a car and a lorry. The Queen Elizabeth II bridge is blocked clockwise from Junction 31 for Lakeside and Purfleet to Junction 1a for Dartford.

There are delays after an accident involving a HGV and a car on the Dartford Crossing. Picture National Highways

According to traffic monitoring site Inrix, the HGV's fuel tank had split and leaked across all lanes. There are currently delays of one and a half hours.

Essex police were called to the collision, which happened at about 11.05am today (July 3) and remain at the scene. The ambulance service also attended and confirmed a woman was taken to Basildon University Hospital with a minor injury. A spokesperson for the force said: "We expect the Dartford Crossing to remain closed throughout this afternoon and into this evening following an earlier collision and damage to the road surface and barriers.

"These repairs are important to maintain the safety of the bridge for all road users. "We would like to thank drivers affected already for their ongoing patience, and encourage everyone to check before travelling in the area this evening.

"Disruption to the surrounding road network is expected and drivers should plan their journeys accordingly." National Highways says the even is expected to clear and return to normal traffic conditions between 5.15pm and 5.30pm.

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