Maintenance and repair work
Update 14 July
Planned East Tunnel closures, Monday 18 to Friday 22 July 2022
The east tunnel will be closed between 10:30pm and 6:00am from Monday 18 July for four nights while we carry out routine and essential maintenance works. A clearly signed diversion for vehicles under 4.8m in height will be in place via the west tunnel. A clearly signed diversion for vehicles 4.8m or greater in height will be in place via the M25 clockwise.
Overnight closures of the west tunnel, which are planned between 9pm and 5:30am Sunday to Friday until August 2022 will resume once we’ve completed these priority works.
Overnight maintenance exercise, Saturday 23 July 2022
We’ll be carrying out a planned maintenance exercise in the tunnels at the Dartford Crossing on Saturday 23 July. Both northbound tunnels will be closed between 8:30pm on Saturday 23 July and 6am on Sunday 24 July 2022 for safety, as there will be stages during the exercise where the tunnels may be without power. A contraflow arrangement will be installed via the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge whereby one lane will run in each direction to keep vehicles moving between Essex and Kent.
If you’re joining the A282 northbound from either Junction 1a or Junction 1b, clearly signed diversions will be in place via the A282 southbound carriageway to M25 Junction 2 and return.
Transporting abnormal loads or dangerous goods
Once the contraflow arrangement has been fully installed you won’t need to report to the Kent Marshalling Area located at the Dartford Crossing Offices; signs and traffic management will be in place on the approaches to the Dartford Crossing to directly join the contraflow across the bridge. The normal procedure will be reinstated as soon as the tunnels have been reopened on the Sunday morning.
If you’re planning on transporting an abnormal load via the crossing while the contraflow arrangement is in place, please contact our Abnormal Loads team at abloads.contact@connectplusm25.co.uk for further assistance. More information for goods vehicles using the crossing can be found on our Dartford Tunnels: advice for goods vehicles and abnormal loads web page here.
Update: 30 June 2022 – Routine maintenance and structure inspections
The A282 Junction 1a to M25 Junction 2 southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 11pm on Friday 1 July and 5am on Saturday 2 July while we carry out inspections and surveys on several bridges. A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A206, B255, Bean Interchange and the A2 to M25 Junction 2.
The QEII bridge will be closed overnight between 10pm on Saturday 2 July and 6am on Sunday 3 July while we carry out routine safety inspections and maintenance. A contraflow diversion will be in place via the east tunnel for southbound traffic between M25 Junction 31 and A282 Junction 1a.
Update: 8 June 2022 – Overnight west tunnel closures, June to August 2022
We completed the first phase of work in the east tunnel on Tuesday 31 May. Work included design and survey works which will inform lighting replacements and other repairs due to take place in the east tunnel in Winter 2022/23. We’ve also replaced the bridge expansion joints at the exit of the east tunnel and completed repairs to the concrete piers which support the carriageway.
Work will now move to the west tunnel during weeknights 9pm - 5:30am and Sunday nights 10pm – 5am, from Monday 6 June to 1 August 2022.
This work will include multiple design works in the west tunnel which will support construction work which is planned for September and October 2022. We’ll also be repairing the panels which form the tunnel linings, fixing areas of corroded steelwork and undertaking repairs to the road surface and drainage. The bridge expansion joints at the exit of the west tunnel will be replaced, as well as repairs to the concrete piers which support the carriageway.
If you need to travel overnight, please allow extra time for your journey as delays are possible.
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Planned overnight tunnel closures at the Dartford Crossing
Monday 6 June to 1 August 2022
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Day
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Tunnel
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Closed between
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Diversion route
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Monday to Friday
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West (left hand side) tunnel
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9pm and 5:30am
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Via east (right hand side) tunnel for vehicles 5.0m and below
Via M25 clockwise for vehicles above 5.0m in height
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Saturday
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West tunnel (right hand side) tunnel
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10pm and 5am
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Via east (right hand side) tunnel for vehicles 5.0m and below
Via M25 clockwise for vehicles above 5.0m in height
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Sunday
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East (left hand side) tunnel
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10pm and 5am
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Via west (left hand side) tunnel for all vehicles under 4.8m in height
Via M25 clockwise for vehicles above 4.8m in height
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West Tunnel closures – Summer to Autumn 2022
The west tunnel is scheduled to close during weeknights and Saturday nights between 10:00pm and 5:00am from early June for approximately two months and again from early September for two months. A clearly signed diversion for all vehicles less than 5.0m (16’ 6”) will be in place via the east tunnel.
The east tunnel will be closed between 10:00pm and 5:00am on Sunday nights for essential weekly maintenance and inspections. All vehicles under 4.8m (15’ 9”) will be diverted via the west tunnel. A clearly signed diversion for vehicles greater than 4.8m (15’ 9”) in height will be in place via the M25 clockwise on Sunday nights.
Throughout June and July 2022, we’ll be upgrading the west tunnel with newer CCTV cameras to help us respond to incidents. We’ll also be carrying out inspections and surveys which will inform refurbishments and repairs planned to take place in September and October 2022.
We won’t close the Dartford Crossing for planned works over any of the bank holidays due to the expected increase in journeys. We’ll also be carrying out maintenance on the QEII bridge, but we can do much of this work under less disruptive lane closures.
East Tunnel closures – Winter 2022 to Spring 2023
Work in the east tunnel is scheduled to resume between November 2022 and Spring 2023. More information about this work will be available here soon.
