Dartford crossing: Why is the QEII Bridge closed and when will it reopen - with Storm Eunice London forecast

A major bridge at the Dartford Crossing has been closed due to strong winds from Storm Eunice, Highways England has announced.

The A282 southbound QEII bridge at the Dartford Crossing is closed and all anti-clockwise M25 traffic is being diverted through the east bore tunnel.

The closure has prompted long delays of up to 60 minutes.

All northbound crossing traffic is being confined to the west bore Dartford tunnel only and a height restriction of 4’8m (15’9") is in force.

Highways England has said vehicles over this height will have to seek an alternative route via the clockwise M25.

KMFM Radio, Kent’s radio station, tweeted: "Dartford Tunnel; QE2 Bridge closed so traffic is using the right-hand tunnel. Anticlockwise congestion to J2 (A2 Darenth Interchange)."

National Highways South-East warned road users of the closure last night, which came into force at 5am this morning.

Why is the bridge closed?

The bridge is shut due to the risk of strong winds from Storm Eunice, which has prompted the Met Office to issue a rare red weather warning for London and the southeast.

It’s the first time the alert has ever been issued in this area.

Queues are forming at the QEII bridge due to the closure and adverse weather conditions.

While tailbacks at the Dartford Tunnel of 40 minutes have built up due to an earlier crash.

National Highways head of service delivery, Sean Martell, said: “We’re encouraging drivers to check the latest weather and travel conditions before setting off on journeys and consider if their journey is necessary and can be delayed until conditions improve.”

When will it reopen?

National Highways has not confirmed when the route will return to normal.

But weather conditions are being monitored and the bridge will be reopened as soon as it is safe to do so.

Sean Martell added: "If you do intend to travel, then plan your trip and take extra care, allowing more time for your journey.

“In high winds, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes so we’d advise drivers of these vehicles to slow down."

What’s the forecast for Storm Eunice in London?

A red weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for London and the southeast between 10am and 3pm today.

This is the first time the alert has been issued in this area.

And it comes as amber weather warnings have been announced across England throughout Friday, February 18.

Warnings of high winds are expected throughout the day, and disruption may continue throughout the weekend.

How can I follow updates?

A Highways spokesperson advised: “Please allow extra time for your journey as there are delays of over an hour on the M25 anti-clockwise approaching the crossing.”

Further information is available from National Highways by visiting the website  www.trafficengland.com, travel apps, or via the Highways regional twitter feeds.

The National Highways 24/7 contact centre team is also available to provide up to the minute information on 0300 123 5000.