A 15-month upgrade to The Darenth Interchange - one of the M25’s busiest junctions - has now been completed, say Highways England.

Junction 2 on the M25 links the motorway with the A2 in Kent and has been upgraded in a £6m project to improve traffic flow and reduce collisions.

The scheme has created an extra lane on the roundabout and an extended slip road to increase capacity, as well as improvements to the traffic lights to help ease the flow of traffic using the roundabout.

Road signs and lane markings on the roundabout have also been improved, and traffic enforcement cameras have been installed to improve compliance with the traffic lights.

Highways England route sponsor Tommy Whittingham said: “This upgrade to the Darenth Interchange is the most significant improvement work that has been carried out at this junction for over 10 years. The junction is about two miles away from the Dartford Crossing, and congestion here can cause a knock-on effect for drivers heading to the tunnels or away from the QEII bridge. This vital upgrade will also help to ease congestion for drivers using the local roads in the area too.

“Most of the work while we were upgrading took place overnight, and I would like to thank drivers for their patience over the last 15 months while we completed this important work.”

The Darenth Interchange is often heavily congested at peak times, with queues stretching back to the main carriageways of the A2 and the M25, causing frequent delays and increasing the risk of collisions.

The junction also has issues with drivers jumping red lights and poor lane discipline, which these upgrades aim to address.

The work at the Darenth Interchange is part of a £10m package of measures to help ease congestion at major traffic bottlenecks around the M25 at Dartford, ahead of the completion of the Lower Thames Crossing in 2027.

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