British motorists are set to face major traffic chaos as an important toll route will remain shut in both directions later this week. The Dartford Crossing, one of the busiest bridges in Europe, will be closed for one night on Saturday, April 26.

The toll route that passes through the River Thames between Kent and Essex will remain shut due to maintenance work, National Highways said. The planned closure will take place between 10pm on Saturday, April 26, and 5am on Sunday, April 27. The eastern tunnel crossing from Kent to Sussex will also be closed for a day, with scheduled work to take place between 10pm next Sunday until 5am on Monday, April 28.

According to the National Highways, the closure will allow workers to paint metal components on the structure in a bid to safeguard it from corrosion.

On average, the toll route sees around 150,000 vehicles passing through on a daily basis, and up to 180,000 vehicles use the bridge during its busiest times.

Further disruption can be expected on the QEII Bridge between through the spring and until October due to ongoing painting work and routine safety inspection, the authorities have warned.

The closure will involve overnight lane closures on various dates, which are yet to be specified.

National Highways said in a statement: "With spring upon us, we’ll soon be resuming our painting work on the QEII Bridge to protect some of its metal components from corrosion. The painting will take place between April and October, and we’ll be able to do most of it without disrupting traffic. We set up a temporary walkway access for our workers on the offside of the bridge in 2024. This will remain in place over the coming years to provide access to most areas that need painting.

"Sometimes, to safely access some of the other areas requiring painting, we’ll need to install overnight lane closures across the bridge between 10pm and 5.30am. One lane will remain open across the bridge for traffic when we need to do this."