Dartford tunnel closure causes major delays following lorry incident

The west (left) of the Dartford Tunnels is still closed following an incident involving an over-height lorry, and drivers are being warned to allow extra time for their journeys.

The tunnel, between Junction 1a at the Littlebrook Interchange and Junction 31 near Purfleet-on-Thames, closed after a lorry entered the tunnel on Friday 23 January and hit several pieces of vital equipment.

The impact caused major damage to the tunnel’s ventilation system, CCTV cameras, and fire safety systems.

Engineers have been on site since the incident, working to assess the damage and carry out repairs. The scale of the work means the tunnel is expected to stay closed throughout Saturday 24 January.

Officials say all available teams and resources are being used to get the tunnel back open as soon as it’s safe.

Although the east (right) tunnel is still open, congestion is building on the approach. Drivers are currently facing delays of around 45 minutes, with queues stretching for roughly four miles.

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