Drivers travelling on the M25 anticlockwise near St Albans are being advised to seek alternative routes as Highways England clears surface water blocking the carriageway within junction 21A.

The pooling water follows a torrential downpour earlier this morning and is affecting the main anticlockwise carriageway and links to the northbound and southbound M1.

The anticlockwise M25 has been closed between junctions 21A and 19 for safety reasons while work to clear the carriageway is ongoing and traffic is being diverted as follows:

• To join the northbound M1, traffic will exit at junction 21A, take the southbound A405 and join the M1 northbound at J6.

• To continue on anticlockwise M25, traffic will exit at junction 21A and follow the hollow square symbol diversion on local road signs via the southbound A405 and westbound A41 to rejoin at the M25 junction 19.

In a press release issued at 12.30pm today (Friday), Highways England said the organisation and its service providers “are working hard to clear the surface water and will re-open the motorway as soon as it is safe to do so.

“Road users are advised to plan ahead and consider alternative routes if possible; there are severe delays on the approach to the closure.”

Before setting out on journeys drivers should check travel conditions.

Highways England provides live traffic information via its website www.trafficengland.com local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile apps. Information is also available from Twitter at @HighwaysEAST.

Providing you can do so safely, road users can also call the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000 to keep up to date with traffic conditions.

HERTS COUNTY COUNCIL

Heavy rain has also led to a busy night for the county’s Fire and Rescue Service and highways teams, which have already dealt with hundreds of emergency calls this morning as torrential rain and storms passed through the county overnight.

Since 5am fire control has received over 100 emergency calls to weather-related incidents, and is giving priority to those incidents where life and property are at risk.

Fire crews have also attended a major incident in Watford, in which two trains were halted by a landslide.

Firefighters liaised with other services to ensure safety at the scene.

Herts’ highways teams were also called to 150 reports of flooding on the county’s roads and pavements as the sheer amount of water falling overwhelmed drainage systems.

Fifty of these had to be dealt with as emergencies with the county council’s highways contractor Ringway sending out teams to deal with the flooding.

Cllr Richard Thake, cabinet member for community safety at the county council, said: “Our emergency teams coped extremely well with this sudden downpour and the huge surge in calls and I want to thank them for their professionalism under difficult circumstances.

“Far from being overwhelmed, they were able to maintain emergency cover across the county while dealing with the flash floods and other incidents such as lightning strikes and road traffic collisions.”

He added: “I am also aware that some schools have had to close due to weather-related issues. I’m sure that staff are working hard to ensure that the schools will be open as usual on Monday.”

Cllr Terry Douris, cabinet member for highways, said: “The heavy rain overnight has inevitably caused flooding and very difficult conditions for drivers, especially after our recent spell of dry weather.

“It sounds obvious, but please allow extra time for journeys and don’t drive through flood water. Even fairly shallow water can cause serious damage to your car and just six inches can cause a car to lose control or stall.”

For more information on flooding, go to www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/flooding