M2 traffic chaos after horror crash involving 'multiple vehicles' as car in flames

A woman has been taken to hospital and a major motorway left shut this evening following a horror crash that left a car in flames.

Traffic information service Inrix said the M2 coastbound has closed following a crash involving "multiple vehicles", with a massive stretch of the traffic artery shuttered between two junctions. The service reports: "M2 coastbound closed, queueing traffic due to vehicle fire and serious accident, multiple vehicles involved from J2 A228 Sundridge Hill (Strood/Rochester) to J3 (Chatham/Rochester)." The crash reportedly left a vehicle in flames, and has left a woman in hospital, said in a statement, with ambulances having also raced to the scene.

A spokesperson for the service said: "The M2 in Kent is closed eastbound between J2 and J3 near Maidstone due to a collision Emergency services including Kent Police are in attendance. National Highways Traffic Officers are also on scene assisting with traffic management."

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The statement adds: "Police were called at 4.12pm on 16 April, following a collision involving two cars on the coastbound M2, between junctions 2 and 3. Officers are at the scene, along with fire and ambulance crews and a woman has been taken to hospital.

"The coastbound carriageway is currently closed." Massive congestion has built up along the route since the accident earlier, with cars backed up between Junctions 2 and 3, with more traffic building along the A229, just below Junction 3 of the M2.

Motorists have been asked by Highways England to plan ahead for their journeys and follow a diversion marked by the "solid circle" symbol.

The diversion route is as follows:

• Exit the M2 at J1 and enter the A289 headed eastbound.
• Remain on the A289 negotiating the roundabout at Four Elms, the Medway Tunnel, Lower Gillingham, Yokosuku way and Ito Way before meeting the roundabout junction with the A2.
• Take the A2 headed eastbound and travel to the roundabout with the A278
• Take the A278 headed southbound to re-join the M2 at J4.

The National Highways alert for the M2 is one of two it has in place this evening, with another having been issued following a separate incident on the A120. The A road has been closed in both directions between the A131 (Braintree) and the B1024 (Coggeshall) due to a collision.

A spokesperson for said in a statement: "We have closed the A120 in both directions following a collision between Braintree and Coggeshall. We received reports that one vehicle – a motorbike – had been involved in a collision at about 3pm on Thursday 16 April.

"The road has been closed to allow emergency services to carry out their work, and we expect to be at the scene for several hours. Drivers should check before travelling and plan their journey accordingly – traffic at Braintree and Coggeshall is expected to be impacted."