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Queen Elizabeth II Bridge Closed After Police Incident

The Queen Elizabeth II bridge at the Dartford Crossing was closed southbound following a police incident. National Highways diverted clockwise traffic through the east tunnel while Essex and Kent police responded.

bbc.co.uk
1 source·May 18, 7:12 PM(10 days ago)·1m read
Queen Elizabeth II Bridge Closed After Police Incidentbbc.co.uk
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The Queen Elizabeth II bridge at the Dartford Crossing closed southbound after a police incident on Monday evening. National Highways said the road was closed between the M25 junction 31 at Lakeside/Purfleet and the A282 junction 1A at Dartford. Essex and Kent police forces were both at the scene.

The east tunnel of the Dartford

Crossing was closed to divert clockwise traffic. National Highways stated that the closure was implemented to manage the flow of vehicles. Essex Police said the incident had been resolved safely and traffic was expected to begin moving again shortly.

20:15 BST, traffic information provider Inrix reported significant delays and six miles of congestion. The provider also noted knock-on effects on the A13 and A1306 in both directions on the approaches to the M25.

Key Facts

Queen Elizabeth II bridge
Closed southbound between M25 junction 31 and A282 junction 1A
East tunnel
Used to divert clockwise traffic
Delays
90 minutes of delays and six miles of congestion
Incident status
Resolved safely according to Essex Police

Story Timeline

3 events
  1. Monday evening

    Queen Elizabeth II bridge closed southbound after police incident.

    1 sourcebbc.co.uk
  2. Monday evening

    National Highways diverted clockwise traffic through east tunnel.

    1 sourcebbc.co.uk
  3. 20:15 BST

    Inrix reported significant delays and six miles of congestion.

    1 sourcebbc.co.uk

Potential Impact

  1. 01

    Motorists faced 90 minutes of delays on the M25 southbound approach.

  2. 02

    Traffic diverted through east tunnel increased volume on alternative routes.

  3. 03

    A13 and A1306 experienced knock-on congestion in both directions.

Transparency Panel

Sources cross-referenced1
Confidence score65%
Synthesized bySubstrate AI
Word count135 words
PublishedMay 18, 2026, 7:12 PM

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