M25 traffic: Motorists ‘stuck for hours’ as workers clear cooking oil spillage near Hatfield

Drivers claim they have been stuck for hours on the M25, as emergency services work to clear a cooking oil spillage on the motorway. It follows a lorry crashing into the central reservation this morning (April 19).

Traffic is trapped as the road is blocked between Junction 23 (Borehamwood) and Junction 25 (Enfield) in the clockwise direction on the M25. National Highways has tweeted to confirm that drivers are facing hour-long delays on the approach, while motorists who are trapped in the road closure have taken to social media to complain that they have been stuck for hours.

Police officers were called to the incident at around 11.15am. A lorry had been in a collision with the central reservation near Potters Bar.

Read more: Crash shuts M25 near Hatfield as motorists face 45 minutes of traffic – live updates

The road remains closed this afternoon, and motorists are advised to avoid the area. Highways services are working to turn around traffic that is trapped within the closure, while contractors are in the process of removing oil from the carriageway.

A spokesperson for National Highways said: “We are in the process of turning traffic trapped within the closure around. We have cleared all vehicles from J23 to J24 and are now starting to clear J24 to J25. Where you are in the queue will depend on how long it takes to be turned.”

In their most recent update, they added: “The M25 clockwise remains closed between J23 (Borehamwood) and J25 (Enfield) following a collision and a large spillage of cooking oil across all of the lanes. Contractors are working to remove the oil from the carriageway. Delays of up to 60 minutes on the approach.”

Motorists have expressed their frustration on social media. One claimed: “I’ve been stuck in stationary traffic between J24 and J25 since 11:30am. I have a screaming and v distressed 10 month old baby in the car who needs changing and feeding. What on earth is going on and when can I expect to be on the move?”

Another added: “60 minutes? Three hours we’ve been sat stationary!,” while one driver claimed: “Come on… We’ve been sat here for more than two hours now.”

Police remain on the scene and a full diversion route is in place. For live updates on this ongoing situation, follow our live blog by clicking here.

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