The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge will be closed from 11pm tonight (Tuesday 2 January) for safety reasons, due to high winds, and is expected to re-open between before the peak period tomorrow morning (Wednesday 3 January).
Highways England will continue to monitor wind speeds closely before making any decision to reopen the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, based on the safety of road users. While the bridge is expected to open before the morning rush hour, this could change as the wind speeds are forecast to be high until 2pm tomorrow. The crossing will remain open with the tunnel operating in both directions when the bridge is closed.
The east tunnel will close at 9pm tonight to allow time to build crossovers in preparation for the bridge closure. The bridge will be closed from 11pm, although this may move with the forecast updates. Traffic should have switched to using the tunnels by midnight.
Traffic travelling on the M25 anticlockwise to take the A282 from Kent into Essex via the Dartford Tunnels will be affected from 9pm when the east tunnel is closed to traffic, rendering the west tunnel only for anticlockwise traffic.
Traffic travelling on the M25 clockwise to take the A282 from Essex into Kent will not be affected until the closure at 11pm, at which point they will be diverted through the east tunnel.
Tonight’s planned maintenance works have been cancelled to allow both tunnels to be used.
Drivers planning to travel are encouraged to plan their journey in advance and check the latest weather and traffic conditions along the route.
