Kent Police warn drivers M20 could remain shut for 'a number of hours' after serious crash
Kent Police officers remain at the scene of a serious collision on the M20 this afternoon (January 23). Emergency responders were called to the eastbound carriageway near junction 9 for Ashford at around 1.10pm.
Both directions of the motorway were initially closed between J8 for Maidstone and J10 for Ashford. The M20 westbound has since been fully re-opened, however the eastbound carriageway remains shut.
Police have advised this part of the motorway is expected to remain blocked “for a number of hours”. Motorists are facing heavy traffic spreading back towards J7, with National Highways reporting delays of around 30 minutes in the area.
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Diversion details have been confirmed for drivers looking to travel from Maidstone towards Ashford. National Highways traffic officers have also been called to attend and assist with traffic management.
It is not yet known how many vehicles were involved in the collision. KentLive has approached emergency services for further information.
A spokesperson for Kent Police said: “Kent Police is currently at the scene of a serious collision near Junction 9 of the M20 at Ashford. The motorway is closed in both directions while the incident is responded to and is expected to remain closed for a number of hours.”
The latest updates to this ongoing incident will be shared to our live blog here.