KENT, England, October 28, 2026 â A serious collision near Medway Services forced the closure of the M2 motorway in both directions, leaving drivers facing major disruption across Kent during Wednesday’s morning rush hour.
The M2 remains closed in both directions between J3 and 5 (coastbound) and J5 and 4 (London-bound) following a serious collision coastbound near Medway Services, at around 9.10pm on Tuesday 27 October 2026. Motorists should continue to find alternative routes if possible. https://t.co/yZkNwrquSc
— Kent Police (UK) (@kent_police) October 28, 2026
The crash occurred on the coastbound carriageway late Tuesday evening. Kent Police, emergency services and National Highways traffic officers responded, with one person reportedly suffering serious injuries.
The shutdown affected a key route connecting Medway, Sittingbourne and the wider motorway network, pushing additional traffic onto surrounding roads.
Incident: Serious collision near Medway Services.
Coastbound: Junction 3 to Junction 5 closed.
London-bound: Junction 5 to Junction 4 closed.
Injuries: One person reportedly seriously injured.
Reopening: No confirmed time in the official incident notice.
Advice: Follow signed diversions and check live road conditions.
Serious M2 Collision Triggers Overnight Police Investigation
The incident was reported at approximately 9:10 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27. Emergency responders attended the scene as police began investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The motorway remained closed overnight into Wednesday, with restrictions continuing during the morning commute.
Authorities have not confirmed the number of vehicles involved, the cause of the collision or the identity of the injured person. The reported serious injury has not been independently confirmed in the National Highways incident notice.
M2 Junction Closures Affect Medway and Sittingbourne Traffic
Motorists travelling coastbound were diverted from Junction 3 at Blue Bell Hill, while London-bound drivers were directed away from the motorway at Junction 5 near Stockbury.
The closure also affected access around Junction 4 at Gillingham, creating disruption for drivers travelling between Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Maidstone and Sittingbourne.
Traffic was diverted onto the A229, A249 and M20, with congestion building along alternative routes.
Official M2 Diversions for London-Bound and Coastbound Drivers
London-bound diversion: Exit the M2 at Junction 5, follow the A249 southbound to M20 Junction 7, travel westbound to Junction 4, then take the A228 northbound to M2 Junction 2.
Coastbound diversion: Exit at M2 Junction 3, follow the A229 southbound to M20 Junction 6, continue eastbound to Junction 7, then take the A249 northbound to M2 Junction 5.
Drivers should follow the signed diversion routes rather than relying on alternative shortcuts. The National Highways M2 incident notice provides official travel guidance.
Rush-Hour Delays Spread Across Kent Roads
The disruption has placed additional pressure on the A229 and A249, both important connections between Medway, Maidstone and the M20.
Extended closures following serious incidents are not unusual. An earlier M3 motorway closure near Winchester also disrupted journeys while emergency recovery operations continued.
Motorists should allow additional travel time, particularly when approaching motorway junctions and diversion roundabouts.
M2 Reopening Remains Unconfirmed
National Highways warned that the road could remain closed for several hours while emergency operations and investigations continued. No confirmed reopening time was included in the incident notice.
A previous M42 motorway closure near Redditch similarly demonstrated how serious collisions can disrupt traffic well beyond the initial emergency response.
Drivers are advised to check current traffic conditions before setting off. National Highways operates a 24-hour information line on 0300 123 5000.
Make Swikblog your go-to source on Google for reliable updates, smart insights, and daily trends.
