M25 Chaos: Motorists Stranded for Eight Hours in Record UK Heatwave

Motorists endured harrowing conditions on the M25 on Wednesday as a serious collision and fuel spillage led to 10-mile traffic queues during the hottest June day on record, with some drivers stranded for up to eight hours without water.

The chaos unfolded when a van and a lorry collided on the M25 clockwise carriageway between junctions five and six near Godstone, Surrey. The crash caused a large fuel spillage that extensively damaged the road surface, requiring overnight resurfacing works.

Emergency Response

South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed that more than ten people were taken to hospital with minor and heat-related conditions. One man was airlifted to hospital after the motorway was closed. National Highways described the congestion as severe and prolonged.

Folkestone and Hythe MP Tony Vaughan appealed directly to police and highways teams on social media during the crisis. Please sort this out urgently, he wrote. "People need water and some may need evacuation. This is an emergency."

Stranded Families

The MP said one constituent had been stuck on the M25 near Oxted in Surrey for eight hours. It is 40 degrees in her car. She has kids with her. She is running out of water, Vaughan reported, highlighting the dangerous conditions facing stranded motorists.

Social media was flooded with similar accounts from trapped drivers, with many reporting that they had run out of fuel while idling in the queues, leaving them without air conditioning in the extreme heat. Some drivers abandoned their vehicles to seek shade and water.

Road Reopened

National Highways confirmed the M25 clockwise carriageway reopened just after 2am on Thursday following overnight resurfacing and clean-up operations. The agency said there were no delays on the approach to the area after reopening.

The closure came as the UK experienced its hottest June day on record, with temperatures reaching 36.1C at Gosport, Hampshire before the record was broken again on Thursday at 36.4C in Yeovilton, Somerset.

Safety Concerns

The incident has raised serious questions about contingency planning for extreme weather events on major road networks. Motoring organisations have called for emergency water supplies and better communication systems to be put in place along motorway routes.

The RAC urged drivers to carry emergency supplies including water, sun protection, and charged mobile phones when travelling in hot weather. The AA advised motorists to check traffic updates before setting out and to avoid non-essential travel during red weather warnings.