M25 lane reopens after lorry fire causes delays near Brentwood turn

Fire on M25 between Chelmsford and M11 turn-off closes section of motorway anti-clockwise

One lane of the M25 in Essex has reopened after a bin lorry fire caused long delays.

The anti-clockwise carriageway between junction 28 for Brentwood and junction 27 - for the M11 was closed to traffic for much of Tuesday.

National Highways said emergency resurfacing will take place overnight across three lanes from 21:00 GMT.

Two lanes on the clockwise carriageway were also closed as Essex Fire Service dealt with the blaze.

Crews attended the scene at 10:00 BST and said the bin lorry had caught fire on the hard shoulder of the motorway.

Station manager Howard Midwood said the road had been closed "due to the amount of fuel and liquid leaking from the vehicle".

The bin lorry was "100% alight" when the fire service arrived

The highways authority said that as a result of the fire, traffic was being held within junction 1A of the A282 Dartford Crossing, to prevent queuing traffic within the tunnels.

Congestions and delays of 60 minutes continued on the approach to the Dartford Crossing between junction 3 at Swanley and junction 1A.

The same situation faced drivers between junction 30, Low Well Wood and junction 27, the M11 turn-off.

Drivers were told to expect two hour delays and to seek alternative routes by National Highways as crews dealt with the blaze

While the fire was extinguished and during the clear-up operation, traffic within the closed area was turned back from the rear of the queue.

Drivers in both directions faced delays of more than two hours, with traffic stretching to junction 30, the Mar Dyke Interchange.

They were also "strongly urged to consider alternate routes".