Dartford Crossing west tunnel closes overnight all week for maintenance

Mason's ledger flagged an active planned closure on the A282 northbound Dartford Crossing west tunnel, running overnight until 05:30 today, as part of a wider set of scheduled roadworks confirmed across Kent's road network this week, according to [1]. The west tunnel closure is one of several overnight works listed for the period Monday 3 August to Sunday 9 August, according to [1]. Drivers heading north on the A282/M25 have been told to expect the west tunnel shut nightly from Monday to Saturday for routine maintenance, with traffic diverted into the east tunnel during those hours, according to [1]. National Highways confirms separately that overnight closures of the west tunnel are being carried out to allow essential maintenance to the tunnel's jet fans and lighting systems, though the specific dates in that account are not fully aligned with the Kent-wide schedule reported in [1], according to [2]. The Dartford Crossing is a significant piece of national infrastructure, carrying more than 180,000 vehicles a day, according to [2]. Because of this volume, National Highways says it deliberately schedules disruptive work overnight, typically between 10pm and 6am, to limit the impact on drivers, according to [2]. There is a twist for Sunday night specifically: rather than the west tunnel, it is the east tunnel that will close, according to [1]. Because the east tunnel is the taller of the two, its closure means there will be no northbound route over the Crossing that night for vehicles over 4.8 metres in height, according to [1]. Those larger vehicles will need to divert via the M25 clockwise, while other traffic can still use the west tunnel, according to [1]. The Dartford works sit alongside a cluster of other overnight closures across Kent this week, according to [1]. These include repeated closures of the A249 in both directions between Queenborough and Whiteway roundabout for street lighting repairs, with drivers diverted via the A250; nightly anti-clockwise M25 resurfacing between Junctions 3 and 2; and nightly M26 westbound closures between Junction 2a and the M25's Junction 5 for hazardous tree removal, according to [1]. Numerous slip roads on the A2, A20, A21, M2 and M20 are also listed for closure on various nights this week for survey, electrical, resurfacing or emergency carriageway repair works, according to [1]. National Highways' own project records show that Dartford Crossing maintenance is a recurring, long-running programme rather than a one-off. Its published schedule references west and east tunnel closures, and QEII Bridge closures, stretching from earlier this summer through to further work planned as far out as September and even July 2026, according to [2]. The agency's standard practice for northbound tunnel closures is to keep one tunnel open with a height restriction — typically barring vehicles between 4.8m and 5.0m — while the other undergoes work, according to [2]. Both sources caution that these schedules are subject to change. National Highways notes plainly that "closures can change at short notice" and directs drivers to its daily closures page and travel alerts for the latest position, according to [2]. What to watch next: whether the west tunnel reopens as scheduled by 05:30 today, and how Sunday night's east tunnel closure and height restriction affect high-sided traffic crossing the Thames.