Three M25 lanes closed after crash leaves one man injured
A collision between Chertsey and Thorpe forced a closure that triggered 60-minute delays into the mid-morning.
By Noor Graham ·
Three lanes on the M25 were shut for nearly three hours after a multi-vehicle collision in Surrey on Wednesday morning.
The crash occurred at approximately 06:55 GMT between junction 11 for Chertsey and junction 12 for Thorpe. National Highways reported that all four lanes on the clockwise carriageway were affected initially, leaving only one open. One person was injured in the incident and transported to a hospital. Surrey Police confirmed the single casualty was a man treated for a leg injury by South East Coast Ambulance Service crews, including a critical care paramedic. He was taken to St George's Hospital in London for further care.
Just after 09:40 GMT, National Highways stated that all lanes had reopened. Despite the restoration of traffic flow, delays remained substantial. Inrix data showed congestion stretching back to junction 8 for Reigate. The traffic data provider described conditions through Chertsey, Addlestone, and Weybridge as extremely heavy. Some drivers diverted to alternative routes via Esher and Thames Ditton. The disruption also impacted the opposite carriageway, with queues extending to junction 13 for Staines due to two separate accidents. Northbound traffic on the M3 experienced similar delays.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of the motorway’s primary routes to even minor multi-vehicle events. With the ring road serving as a key artery for London commuters, the closure of three out of four lanes created a bottleneck that persisted well into the workday. The involvement of a critical care paramedic underscored the severity of the initial impact on the single male patient. Traffic management efforts focused on reopening the lanes quickly to minimize the cascading effect on surrounding local roads.
National Highways will continue to monitor the M25 corridor for residual congestion. Drivers are advised to check real-time traffic updates before departing, particularly if traveling through the Surrey section of the ring road. The reopening of all lanes marks the end of the primary disruption, though minor delays may persist as traffic volumes normalize.
