Motorway closes in both directions after serious crash on the M49

There’s congestion on the motorway anti-clockwise between J3 (M20 J1/Swanley), traffic cameras show.

While highway officials haven’t made an official alert warning about congestion, RAC is showing delays Kent-way too due to construction works and a lane being closed.

‘Delays of nine minutes on M25 anticlockwise between J26 A121 Honey Lane (Waltham Abbey) and J24 A111 Stagg Hill (Potters Bar). Average speed 20mph,’ it says.

Things are looking up when it comes to getting to Heathrow.

TfL is reporting that service on the Elizabeth line – a major way to get to the west London airport – is running smoothly.

There are ‘no disruptions’ either on the Heathrow Express.

However National Rail is warning that there is still some residual disruption.

Traffic is being reported from drivers along the M5, which stretches from the Midlands to the South West.

The motorway was already congested this morning around Bristol, with traffic backing up by about three miles.

Congestion was reported earlier on the M5 southbound J2 (Dudley/Oldbury) and J3 (Quinton) as well as northbound within J27 (Halberton/Culmstock) by the monitoring service Motorway Cameras.

‘Between Junction 4 and 5 on m5 South is gridlocked,’ wrote one X user.

The line was blocked from 10.10am until about 11am so staff could carry out repairs.

This work has now been completed and the signalling problem has been fixed.

Trains can now stop at Lenham as scheduled, but it’s been warned that trains towards London via Maidstone East could still be cancelled or revised while service recovers.

There’s another signalling system fault this morning, this time between London Bridge and Charing Cross, which is blocking all lines while repairs take place.

It’s affecting Southeastern Services from Charing Cross to Dover Priory/Ashford International/Hastings/Tunbridge Wells/Maidstone East/Faversham/Gravesend/Dartford/Sevenoaks/Hayes.

Services will be unable to serve Waterloo East or Charing Cross, with trains being diverted into Cannon Street or Victoria, or terminated and restarted at London Bridge.

From 11am for around 45 minutes the line between London Bridge and Charing Cross will be blocked to allow Network Rail to carry out this repair work.

Overall the M25 has been behaving itself fairly well today, but there are a couple of incidents drivers should be aware of.

• There’s one lane closed on the anticlockwise carriageway at junction 10 for the A3 after an accident
• There’s a broken down vehicle on the junction 3 exit slip road for the M20

Disruption is expected between 1.45-3.15pm, with four services already cancelled and the possibility of more cancellations.

It’s affecting trains between London Euston or Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey.

The following trains have already been cancelled:

• 13:45 Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey
• 14:08 St Albans Abbey to Watford Junction
• 14:45 Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey
• 15:08 St Albans Abbey to Watford Junction

A signal fault at Lenham has blocked the line towards London in Kent.

Routes between Ashford International and Maidstone East/London Victoria/London Charing Cross, and between Ramsgate/Minster and London Victoria are being disrupted.

A Southeastern spokesperson explained: ‘During overnight inspections, a fault with the signalling system has been discovered at Lenham, which means trains towards London cannot call at the station.

‘Trains towards London via Maidstone East will not call at Lenham station.

‘Services from Ashford International can use an alternative section of track to travel towards Maidstone East.

‘Services towards Ashford are unaffected.’

There’s a shortage of London Northwestern Railway train crew which will impact services between Bedford and Bletchley between 3.45pm until around 10.30pm.

So far, the services cancelled include:

• 15:47 Bedford to Bletchley
• 17:45 Bletchley to Bedford
• 18:47 Bedford to Bletchley
• 20:45 Bletchley to Bedford
• 21:47 Bedford to Bletchley

National Rail warns that services could still be cancelled or delayed by up to half an hour while things return to normal now that the trespass incident has been dealt with.

The delay in switching the power back on after the trespasser was removed from the track was caused by a fault in the system allowing the power to be reinstated.

Power supply to the electric third rail had to be turned off while the trespasser was still on the line.

The incident happened at around 5.25am last Tuesday, August 20 and a man was found with a head injury at traffic lights on Erith Road.

He’s still in critical condition in hospital and his family has been informed.

Met officers arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of grievous bodily harm on the same day, and he’s been bailed pending further enquiries.

Police are now appealing for anyone who saw the assault or has dashcam footage.

Detective Constable Katie McGinn said: ‘We believe that the victim sustained his injuries following a traffic incident, and subsequent altercation, involving a man from another vehicle.

‘If you saw any part of this sequence of events, or if you have footage, please do get in touch.’

Even though the trespasser has now been removed, Southern says the railway hasn’t been able to reopen as soon as expected.

A spokesperson said: ‘This means there will be a number of service changes and cancellations on the Southern route between East Croydon, Clapham Junction and Watford Junction.

‘You will need to use an alternative route. We’d advise allowing at least an extra 30-45 minutes of travel time.’

Tickets will be accepted on the following alternative routes at no extra cost:

• London Underground via any reasonable route
• London Buses between Clapham Junction and Watford Junction
• Southern between Clapham Junction and London Victoria
• London Northwestern Railway services between London Euston, Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction
• London Northwestern Railway services between:
  • London Euston, Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction
  • Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey
• Thameslink services between St Albans City, London St Pancras International, London Blackfriars and East Croydon
• London Overground services between London Euston, Willesden Junction, Wembley Central, Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction