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orywireThe Dartford Crossing was open at the latest check after the QEII Bridge reopened following a police-led incident. Drivers should still check live National Highways and Traffic England updates before using the M25/A282, with residual congestion and overnight works possible.
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The Dartford Crossing is open at the latest check after the QEII Bridge reopened following an earlier police-led incident. Drivers using the M25/A282 should still check live traffic before travelling, as residual congestion and planned overnight works may affect the crossing.
National Highways’ main travel alerts page was not showing an active major Dartford Crossing closure in the accessible version checked early on Wednesday evening.
A live traffic feed carrying Traffic England updates was still showing congestion near the crossing earlier in the evening, including at the M25 anticlockwise entry slip at junction 1A and at junction 2. Those alerts were listed as congestion rather than a full closure.
The QEII Bridge carries southbound and clockwise traffic from Essex into Kent. Northbound traffic uses the Dartford tunnels.
The earlier disruption followed a police-led incident on the QEII Bridge.
Essex Police said officers were dealing with concerns for the welfare of a man on the bridge, according to reports carrying the force’s statement. The incident was first reported shortly after 10.50am on Wednesday.
While the bridge was closed, traffic was diverted through the Dartford tunnels. The Standard reported that the bridge later reopened, but National Highways warned of severe knock-on delays as queues cleared.
Earlier in the day, delays were reported in both directions on the M25/A282 approach to the crossing. Those figures can change quickly, so drivers should not rely on old delay times before setting off.
The main places to check are the M25 approaches to the A282, junction 31 on the Essex side and junction 1A on the Kent side.
Drivers should also watch for congestion around junction 2, the A2 and routes feeding the tunnels, especially during the evening peak or after an incident has only recently cleared.
If live feeds show queues building again, allow extra time or consider delaying the journey. The Dartford Crossing is a major Thames crossing and even short closures can leave slow-moving traffic on surrounding roads.
Separate from the police-led incident, National Highways lists planned overnight maintenance at the Dartford Crossing.
For Wednesday 10 June, the Dartford east tunnel is scheduled to close overnight from 10pm until 5.30am the following morning. National Highways says vehicles under 4.8m high will be diverted via the west tunnel, while vehicles between 4.8m and 5.0m high should use the alternative M25 clockwise route.
National Highways also lists overnight lane closures on the QEII Bridge between April and September 2026 for cable stay refurbishment work. It says at least one lane should remain open during those overnight works.
Check Traffic England for live incidents, congestion and closures on the M25 and A282.
Check National Highways travel alerts for major incidents that may affect the crossing.
Check the National Highways Dartford Crossing maintenance page if travelling late at night, especially if driving a high-sided vehicle.
Use a live sat-nav or traffic app shortly before leaving, because conditions around the crossing can change faster than scheduled updates. This article will be refreshed if National Highways, Traffic England or police issue a new update affecting the crossing.
