Dartford – Thurrock maintenance work

Latest updates

• 20 May 2022

  Maintenance and repair work

  Update: 19 May 2022 – Overnight closure of the QEII bridge

  The A282 southbound carriageway, between M25 junction 31 and A282 junction 1a, will be closed between 10pm Saturday 21 May and 5am on Sunday 22 May while we carry out routine maintenance and inspections on the Queen Elizabeth II bridge. A clearly signed diversion for southbound traffic will be in place via the east tunnel.

  Northbound traffic will be diverted via the west tunnel, with an alternative diversion for high-sided vehicles over 4.8m (15' 9") in place via M25 clockwise.

  Update: 9 May 2022 – Amended east tunnel closure timings

  We’ll be starting an hour earlier on weeknights between Monday 16 May and Tuesday 31 May to complete additional work within the east tunnel.

  Planned overnight tunnel closures at the Dartford Crossing
  Day	Tunnel	Closed between	Diversion route
  Monday to Friday	East (right hand side) tunnel	9pm and 5:30am	Via west (left hand side) tunnel for vehicles 4.8m and below   Via M25 clockwise for vehicles above 4.8m in height
  Saturday	West tunnel (left hand side) tunnel	10pm and 5am	Via the east (right hand side) tunnel for all vehicles under 5.0m in height
  Sunday	East (right hand side) tunnel	10pm and 5am	Via west (left hand side) tunnel for vehicles 4.8m and below   Via M25 clockwise for vehicles above 4.8m in height

  Using a slightly longer working window each night will enable the extra work to be completed without needing any further closures of the higher-bore east tunnel; keeping us on schedule to begin work in the west tunnel by early June as planned.

  We’re currently working to upgrade the tunnel CCTV cameras to improve coverage and help us respond to incidents as quickly as possible. Other works, such as replacing the existing expansion joints that take up movement of the viaduct at the tunnel exit, will reduce the number of overnight repairs and emergency closures that would otherwise be needed in the future.

  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.