Planning a trip across the Dartford Crossing? Here's the latest update on overnight closures for the QEII Bridge and Dartford Tunnels — including confirmed dates from 18th June onwards.
🚨 URGENT: Upcoming Closures from 18th June 2025
THIS WEEK AND BEYOND:
- Saturday 21 June – QEII Bridge FULL CLOSURE, 10pm to 5am Sunday 22 June
- Sunday 22 June – Dartford East Tunnel, 10pm to 5:30am (vehicles over 4.8m diverted)
- Wednesday 25 June – Dartford West Tunnel, 11pm to 5:30am
- Friday 27 June – Dartford East Tunnel, 10pm to 5:30am
📅 JULY 2025 CONFIRMED CLOSURES:
- Saturday 5 July – QEII Bridge FULL CLOSURE, 10pm to 5am Sunday 6 July
- Tuesday 8 July – Dartford East Tunnel, 10pm to 5:30am
- Thursday 10 July – Dartford West Tunnel, 11pm to 5:30am
- Weekend 12-13 July – Multiple closures expected (details TBC)
⚠️ CRITICAL: Saturday 21 June QEII Bridge closure will force ALL traffic through the tunnels - expect severe delays and 60+ minute journey increases.
Recent Closures (For Reference)
Earlier June 2025 closures that have already occurred:
- ✅ 2-4 June – Dartford East Tunnel closures (completed)
- ✅ 9-13 June – Five consecutive nights of east tunnel closures (completed)
- ✅ 14-16 June – Weekend maintenance programme (completed)
Summer Maintenance Programme Continues
National Highways is conducting an intensive maintenance schedule across both tunnels and the QEII Bridge, with work continuing through the busy summer months. The programme focuses on:
- Essential tunnel infrastructure repairs affecting the east tunnel primarily
- QEII Bridge bearing and expansion joint maintenance
- Safety inspection routines continuing on a six-weekly cycle
- Bridge painting programme extending through to October 2025
🔧 Next confirmed QEII Bridge full closures:
- Saturday 21 June, 10pm – Sunday 22 June, 5am
- Saturday 5 July, 10pm – Sunday 6 July, 5am (provisional)
Traffic Impact and Diversions
During east tunnel closures, vehicles under 4.8m height will be diverted through the west tunnel, but HGVs and high vehicles will face significant delays as they must use alternative Thames crossings including:
- Blackwall Tunnel (adding 15-20 miles to journeys)
- Tower Bridge (during daytime hours only)
- M25 anticlockwise via Heathrow for long-distance traffic
Journey time increases of 45-90 minutes are typical during closure periods, particularly affecting:
- Freight traffic to/from Dover and Channel ports
- Commuters travelling between Essex and Kent
- Holiday traffic heading to/from European ferry terminals
July 2025 Maintenance Continues
Extended disruption periods are scheduled to continue into July, with National Highways planning:
- Regular weekend QEII Bridge closures for ongoing bridge maintenance
- Potential extended tunnel closures for deeper infrastructure work
- Lane restrictions during weekday evening hours for minor repairs
Exact July dates to be confirmed - check back for updates
Planning Your Journey During Closures
Essential travel tips:
- Check real-time status before departure via National Highways live traffic updates
- Allow 60-90 minutes extra for journeys during tunnel closure periods
- Consider alternative routes particularly for non-essential overnight travel
- Download traffic apps like Waze or Google Maps for live diversion guidance
Commercial drivers should particularly note that the Dartford Crossing handles over 180,000 vehicles daily, making any closure a significant disruption to freight schedules.
Stay Ahead of Disruption with AutoChain
At AutoChain, we help UK drivers stay ahead — from MOT reminders and digital service history tracking to planning for road disruptions like these extensive Dartford Crossing works.
If you're travelling across the Dartford Crossing during any of the affected dates, make sure to:
- ✅ Check the National Highways daily closures page
- ✅ Use real-time traffic monitoring tools
- ✅ Allow extra travel time - particularly for June's intensive closure period
- ✅ Plan alternative routes for essential overnight journeys
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