Motorists faced severe delays on the M25 today following a multi-car accident and a separate vehicle fire, leading to widespread congestion on both sides of the motorway.

Multi-Car Collision at Junction 11

At around 1:00 pm, a major collision involving multiple cars occurred on the anticlockwise carriageway, just past Junction 11 for the A320 St Peters Way towards Chertsey.

• Lanes 3 and 4 were initially closed, causing significant delays.
• Congestion stretched back to Junction 13 for Staines, with delays peaking at 45 minutes.
• The opposite side (clockwise) also experienced heavy traffic due to onlookers, with queues extending to Junction 10 for the A3 Wisley Interchange.

By 4:30 pm, the lanes were reopened, but residual delays continued for over an hour.

Vehicle Fire Between Junctions 6 and 7

Shortly after the multi-car collision, a vehicle fire erupted on the anticlockwise side between Junction 7 (M23 Interchange) and Junction 6 (A22 Godstone).

• Three lanes (1, 2, and 3) were closed as firefighters battled the blaze and recovery teams cleared debris.
• Congestion stretched back to Junction 8 for Reigate, leading to 60-minute delays.
• Witnesses shared images showing thick smoke billowing over the motorway.

By 4:00 pm, the fire was extinguished, and all lanes reopened. However, National Highways warned of continued 60-minute delays as traffic eased.

Traffic Updates and Recovery

Despite the swift response from emergency services and recovery crews, the double incidents caused hours of chaos on the M25.

• By 5:30 pm, delays remained severe, especially near the scene of the vehicle fire.
• At 7:30 pm, traffic finally cleared on both stretches, and the M25 returned to normal operations.

Witness Accounts and Emergency Response

Drivers stuck in traffic described the scenes as chaotic. One commuter, Sarah Lawson, said:
“I was stuck for nearly two hours. I could see smoke from the car fire, and the crash looked really bad. It was gridlock.”

National Highways and emergency responders worked efficiently to reopen the affected lanes. A spokesperson said:
“We appreciate the patience of drivers affected today. Multiple incidents caused unavoidable delays, but safety remains our top priority.”