M25 reopens after lorry spills diesel

Tailbacks have cleared on the M25 after a diesel spillage caused a 19-mile queue earlier today.

The final two lanes at the spillage site at junction 8 opened at 3.15pm today.

The clockwise carriageway at the junction had been closed following an incident just before 4am this morning when a lorry struck the nearside barrier and ruptured its diesel tank, spilling fuel on the carriageway.

There was barrier damage and an extensive diesel spillage which meant that all four lanes of the clockwise carriageway have had to be resurfaced. The hard shoulder was also damaged by the fuel spill

Resurfacing work will be carried out later tonight.

Drivers were earlier urged to find alternative routes amid concerns the delays could have a knock-on effect throughout the day.

The accident happened at junction eight near Reigate, close to where London's orbital motorway meets the M23 for Gatwick. Traffic was diverted around the slip road after a lorry hit a barrier and ruptured its diesel tank at about 4am.

By early afternoon, workers had reopened one lane, but there were also long delays on the M23 and the M26.