DELAYS on roads around Thurrock are starting to ease following an accident on the M25 earlier this morning.

An accident at junction two, by the A2, in Kent earlier this morning has meant heavy delays on the M25 southbound over the Dartford bridge and up to junction 29 at the A127.

Roads around junctions 30 and 31 near Lakeside have been affected, and queues on the A13 London-bound are stretching back past the Stifford junction.

Traffic in Grays and along London Road is slow moving.

Update: 12:20pm

Drivers are being advised that the clockwise M25 near Darenth in Kent will remain closed into this afternoon while work is carried out to make safe a barrier that was severely damaged in a collision last night.

The barrier, which is on a section of the M25 where it passes over the A2, was damaged in a serious collision earlier this morning. It happened around 3.45am this morning and involved a car and a lorry.

A temporary barrier is being installed this afternoon so that the road can be safely reopened. Until then, the clockwise M25 remains closed between the exit and entry slip road.

A temporary concrete barrier will be installed this afternoon, once specialist teams are on scene, to allow the two outside lanes to reopen. The inside lane will remain closed until a new permanent barrier can be installed, which is expected to take a week to manufacture due to its unique nature.

A diversion is in place via the junction 2 roundabout.

Highways England has rephrased the traffic lights around junction 2 to improve the flow of traffic.