Travel LIVE: London traffic chaos as Heathrow tunnel shut in both directions on M4

The closure of Heathrow tunnel has caused huge delays for motorists travelling along the M4.

It has also affected access to Heathrow Airport’s terminals 2 and 3.

Traffic is heavily congested on the M4 Heathrow Spur and the A4 Bath Road; eight bus routes are also on diversion.

Motorists are being warned to plan ahead as disruption looks to continue throughout the morning.

Follow below for live updates...

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Key Points

• A collision has forced the Heathrow tunnel to close
• Access to Heathrow Aiport terminals 2 and 3 is slow and there is heavy traffic on the M4
• Eight bus routes are on diversion

No District line service between Turnham Green and Richmond due to signalling failure

11:38 , Georgia Bell

There is currently no District line service between Turnham Green and Richmond due to a signalling failure at Kew Gardens.

Travellers looking for alternative means of transport may use their tickets on London Buses and South Western Railway services.

There is good service reported on the rest of the line.

Map shows where delays around Heathrow Airport are located

11:23 , Georgia Bell

There is currently traffic delays reported around the East Ramp due to a car collision.

The affected area is reported to be around Nene Road, Sipson Road and Northern Perimeter Road W.

Delays are being reported for drivers around Heathrow Airport. (Google Maps)

Passengers told to use Piccadilly Line over Heathrow Express or Elizabeth Line

11:15 , Georgia Bell

Passengers are being told not to use the Heathrow Express and Elizabeth Line due to the traffic disruption around the airport.

This was due to a car colliding with the central reservation of the M4, resulting in congestion on surrounding roads towards Terminals 2 & 3.

Travellers are being told to take the Piccadilly Line instead.

In a post on X, Heathrow Airport said: "Due to an earlier road traffic incident, we are seeing some congestion in our rail areas,

"Passengers connecting between terminals by rail are advised to use the Piccadilly Line rather than the Heathrow Express and Elizabeth Line. We apologise for any delays to your journey."

Incident causes delays between Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street

10:01 , Georgia Bell

A person has been hit by a train, causing travel disruption on Greater Anglia trains today.

The incident took place between Southend Victoria and Wickford at around 5:30am on Friday November 7.

As a result, all lines between these stations have been closed while the incident is handled.

All Greater Anglia trains have been cancelled between Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street.

Services are expected to be disrupted until 9am.

Holidaymakers worried about catching flights

09:57 , Georgia Bell

Heathrow-bound passengers have expressed concern about missing their flights as traffic piles up around the international airport.

Some travellers have taken to social media to contact airlines for support.

One wrote: “They’ve closed the tunnel into @HeathrowAirport - does the airline know this?

“My flight departs at 9:45am, what’s the situation if I can’t make the flight."

Drivers told to "allow more time for journeys"

09:54 , Georgia Bell

Drivers has been told to “allow extra time” for their journeys.

National Highways has warned that there is still heavy congestion on approach to the scene which is expected to take some time to clear.

Estimated delays are of around 45 minutes on the M4 spur between J4 and J4A at around 7:30am.

London Fire Brigade says congestion due to car collision

09:49 , Georgia Bell

The London Fire Brigade has said that the congestion is due to a car collision on Friday morning.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: "We were called at 0705 hrs today (7 November) to a report of a road traffic collision near Heathrow Airport.

"One car had collided with a central reservation on East Ramp.

"Firefighters from Heathrow Fire Station assisted emergency service colleagues in making the scene safe."

The London Fire Brigade has said they were called to the scene at around 7am this morning (Victoria Jones/PA)

Motorists told to plan ahead amid traffic chaos

09:23 , Alastair Lockhart

National Highways has warned drivers to plan their journeys in advance after the closure of Heathrow tunnel caused severe delays.

Those travelling to Heathrow airport and those driving on or around the M4 have been affected.

Follow our live coverage for all the updates on traffic and travel in the area.