Bank Holiday traffic: Drivers stuck in 30 miles of queues on M25 after camper van fire, crash and emergency repairs

Hatty Collier27 May 2016

Drivers battling to get to Bank Holiday getaway destinations faced up to 30 mile queues on the M25 after a camper van fire, emergency repairs and a two-vehicle crash caused chaos.

Motorists reported being stuck in traffic for hours in both directions this afternoon following emergency incidents on several stretches of the motorway.

Thick smoke was seen billowing from the camper van between junctions 16 and 17 at Maple Cross in Surrey after it caught fire at about 4.30pm.

A man and two boys escaped from the vehicle unharmed before it went up in flames, Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

Joseph Bishop posted video footage of the car fire and said: “M25 westbound. Serious car fire before exit 18. Gridlock for miles.”

Firefighters at the scene of the camper van fire on the M25 
Twitter / @BucksFire

Firefighters extinguised the blaze and Highways England said work had begun to recover the vehicle shortly after 5pm.

At 3.30pm, two cars crashed between junctions five and six of the motorway, causing further delays.

Emergency repairs between junction eight for Reigate and junction nine for Leatherhead also added to the chaos.

Workers are carrying out repairs on a damaged section of the motorway between these two junctions after a car crashed into the central reservation at 6.30am this morning.

M25 chaos: Smoke billows from the camper van fire
Twitter / @ScottyChops

On Twitter, travellers vented their frustration at the delays.

James Lamb wrote: "Good luck to those all getting away for the weekend there is currently 30 miles of standstill traffic on the #M25."

One Twitter user named Jessica wrote: "Finally home after being stuck in traffic on the M25 for over 3 hours!"

Another person said: "By the time I reach my destination I will have been stuck in traffic on the M25 for 5 hours #bankholidayweekend #M25."

Cynthia Davilla tweeted: “M25 South standstill.”

Others posted photos while they were stuck in huge queues.

More than 15 million journeys will be made on UK roads over the weekend, as forecasts of good weather encourage more people than usual to join the getaway.

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