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M25 section in Surrey collapses following roadworks | M25 section in Surrey collapses following roadworks |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Three lanes of the M25 have been closed after a section collapsed and left a large pothole, following roadworks. | |
Surrey Police said many vehicles had been left with damaged tyres after the road surface near Leatherhead fell in during heavy rain at about 05:30 GMT. | Surrey Police said many vehicles had been left with damaged tyres after the road surface near Leatherhead fell in during heavy rain at about 05:30 GMT. |
Highways workers cleared concrete debris from the anti-clockwise carriageway near junction nine. | |
Tailbacks of up to 16 miles have been reported with disruption expected through this evening's rush hour. | |
Earlier, delays were up to 90-minutes with queues back to junction 11 at Chertsey. | |
A Highways Agency spokesman said: "Concrete repairs being carried out overnight failed to set. | |
"Maintenance crews had been working overnight to replace three sections of concrete road surface between junctions nine and 10. | |
"One of these concrete sections disintegrated and another section was showing signs of distress. | |
"We have people on the site repairing these sections and we will reopen the closed lanes as soon as it is safe to do so." | |
The slip road at Junction 9 was closed earlier but has since reopened. | |
Delays for hours | |
Surrey Police said delays were expected to last for many hours. | |
Among the thousands caught up in travel chaos are those heading to Gatwick. The West Sussex airport is urging travellers to allow extra time for their journeys. | Among the thousands caught up in travel chaos are those heading to Gatwick. The West Sussex airport is urging travellers to allow extra time for their journeys. |
National Express tweeted: "All services between Heathrow & Gatwick Airports suspended until further notice. We are moving customers via London to Gatwick & Brighton." | |
The company has posted details of services that have been cancelled because of the M25 disruption on its website. | |
One resident who lives beside the M25 said her family heard "very large, odd thuds, a bit like thunder at about 05:30. | One resident who lives beside the M25 said her family heard "very large, odd thuds, a bit like thunder at about 05:30. |
"At one point our house was shaking and a piece of plaster fell out of the ceiling," she said. | "At one point our house was shaking and a piece of plaster fell out of the ceiling," she said. |
"I don't know whether the thuds were the lorries hitting the hole or the road collapsing. | "I don't know whether the thuds were the lorries hitting the hole or the road collapsing. |
"It doesn't look enormous, but it is causing chaos." | "It doesn't look enormous, but it is causing chaos." |
A caller to BBC Surrey said she joined the M25 at Weybridge at 07:30 and by 10:45 had got as far as Cobham services. | A caller to BBC Surrey said she joined the M25 at Weybridge at 07:30 and by 10:45 had got as far as Cobham services. |
"We're going nowhere fast," she said. | "We're going nowhere fast," she said. |
"Nobody is giving any information about what is going on, which is no help." | "Nobody is giving any information about what is going on, which is no help." |
At the scene | |
Adrian Harms, BBC Surrey reporter | |
There are now a lot more people on the motorway looking into the hole which is causing all these problems. | |
The bad news if you are a motorist is that the queues are still horrendous. There is just one lane open past the scene and that is lane four. | |
A mixture of vans and lorries and cars are parked up in lanes one to three and on the hard shoulder - presumably looking to repair the hole. | |
But from where I am standing that does not look as if it is going to be anytime soon. | |
Alex Goodwill tweeted: "Punctures galore thanks to pothole on M25 at Leatherhead". | |
AA president Edmund King said: "The M25 really is the road to hell today. | AA president Edmund King said: "The M25 really is the road to hell today. |
"There must be a thorough investigation into this incident. | "There must be a thorough investigation into this incident. |
"It is disappointing that not only did the road fail, but it placed many drivers in danger and also reportedly damaged a number of vehicles. | "It is disappointing that not only did the road fail, but it placed many drivers in danger and also reportedly damaged a number of vehicles. |
"If this happened on the railways, passengers could claim compensation. | "If this happened on the railways, passengers could claim compensation. |
"As it has happened on the roads, drivers just have to put up with it." | "As it has happened on the roads, drivers just have to put up with it." |