Drivers face traffic nightmare after two lorries collide causing oil and waste spillage

The transport authority has warned that delays and traffic havoc will be seen for the coming hours with an “extensive and complex clean-up and recovery operation will be required”.

Following the completion of the recovery operation, the road will likely need to be resurfaced before it can reopen.

In addition to National Highways traffic officers, teams from Surrey Road Police, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, and South East Coast Ambulance are in attendance.

Drivers in and around the area are being told to wait for instructions at the scene, with traffic slowly being cleared.

Traffic maps from National Highways suggest that it will take at least four hours for the event to be cleared.

A targeted time of 12pm could see normal traffic conditions return, although this will depend on the clean-up operation.

The traffic conditions could also have a huge impact on thousands of vehicles heading to Heathrow and Gatwick airports, the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel at Folkestone.

National Highways first reported the incident just after 4am, with drivers still dealing with the impact during rush hour.