Yahoo News Two weeks of overnight closures at Dartford Crossing and 'abnormal load' to use bridge this weekend
Drivers should be aware of upcoming closures at the Dartford Crossing and an "abnormal load" with police escort using the QEII Bridge. One of the tunnels will be shut for two weeks for inspections and repairs.
And tomorrow (November 16) the abnormal load is expected to be using the Dartford Crossing, going over the bridge at around 7pm at slow speeds. It will go clockwise around the M25 as it travels to its destination in Surrey.
Motorists are warned to allow extra time for journeys and to be aware. Timings may vary, with it arriving earlier or later.
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Meanwhile, the works are for steelwork inspections during the next two weeks with the west tunnel shut between 10pm and 6am, Monday to Friday. And from 9pm on Monday, December 2, to Friday, December 6, the west tunnel will be closed for repairs.
Upcoming closures at the Dartford Crossing
The closures start today (November 15) and continue until Saturday, December 7.
Friday, November 15: Dartford west tunnel, 11pm to 6am
Saturday, November 16: Dartford west tunnel, 10pm to 5am
Sunday, November 17: Dartford east tunnel closure, 10pm to 5am (no access for vehicles over 4.8m)
Monday, November 18 to Wednesday, November 20: Dartford west tunnel, 10pm to 5.30am
Thursday, November 21: Dartford west tunnel, 9pm to 5.30am
Friday, November 22: Dartford west tunnel, 9pm to 6am
Saturday, November 23: Dartford west tunnel, 10pm to 5am
Sunday, November 24: Dartford east tunnel closure, 10pm to 5am (no access for vehicles over 4.8m)
Monday, November 25 to Thursday, November 28: Dartford west tunnel, 9pm to 5.30am
Friday, November 29: Dartford west tunnel, 9pm to 6am
Saturday, November 30: Dartford west tunnel, 10pm to 5am
Sunday, December 1: No planned closures
Monday, December 2 to Thursday, December 5: Dartford west tunnel, 10pm to 5.30am
Friday, December 6: Dartford west tunnel, 9pm to 6am
Saturday, December 7: QEII Bridge closure, 10pm to 5am
Diversions
East tunnel – vehicles less than 4.8m (15ft 9in) high will be diverted via the west tunnel. Vehicles between 4.8m (15ft 9in) and 5m (16ft 6in) high will be diverted via M25 clockwise.
West tunnel – drivers will be diverted via the east tunnel.
QEII bridge diversion – southbound traffic will be diverted via the east tunnel. Vehicles less than 4.8m (15ft 9in) high travelling northbound will be able to use the west tunnel as usual and for vehicles between 4.8m (15ft 9in) and 5m (16ft 6in) high, an alternative diversion will be in place via the M25 clockwise.
About the Dartford Crossing
Many people refer to the Dartford Crossing as meaning any way you travel from Kent and Essex with the River Thames between. But drivers either use tunnels under the river, or the QEII Bridge over the river, which is a lofty 137m high.
To travel north, so from Kent to Essex, drivers use two 0.8 mile-long tunnels. To travel from Thurrock in Essex southwards to Kent, you use the four-lane QEII Bridge, which has a speed limit of 50mph.
And another interesting fact, one many people might not realise, is that the tunnels' and the bridge's road are not the M25, but actually designated as the A282. The crossing overall carries 50 million vehicles a year, and although it was designed to carry 135,000 vehicles a day, it now carries an average of 15,000 more than than, with the busiest days seeing 180,000.
And if you think you see a lot of lorries on your journeys, that's because almost 40 per cent of vehicles using the Dartford Crossing are freight vehicles or HGVs.
