DRIVERS face serious delays for weeks due to road closures near the M25 and Dartford Crossing, sparking travel chaos.

The two weekends of road closures are down to bridge maintenance.

Crews from the National Highways are set to complete essential concrete and steelwork repairs to a bridge on the A282 and M25 southbound (clockwise), between junction 1a and junction 2.

To allow for its completion, there will be two overnight closures of the southbound carriageway of the A282 between J1 and J2 of the M25.

The first of these will be on October 5 from 9.30pm until 7.30am the next day.

Then over the same stretch, the second closure is scheduled for 9.30pm on October 12 until 7.30am on October 13.

Drivers have been warned to allow for extra time for their journeys, if they need to travel in this area during the closures.

A National Highways spokesperson said: “We’ll need to carry out further work on this bridge soon to ensure it remains safe and reliable for the years to come.”

The full details on these works will be released nearer the time.

During the closures, a signed diversion will be in place via the A282 J1a, the A206 Crossways Boulevard eastbound, the B255 southbound and the A2 westbound, re-joining the M25 at junction 2.

Upcoming A282 and Dartford Crossing closures

• Friday, October 4: Dartford west tunnel, 11pm to 6am
• Saturday, October 5: Dartford west tunnel, 10pm to 5am. A282 J1a to M25 J2 (southbound), 9.30pm to 7.30am
• Sunday, October 6: Dartford east tunnel closure, 10pm to 5am (no access for vehicles over 4.8m)
• Monday, October 7 to Thursday, October 7: Dartford west tunnel, 10pm to 5.30am each night
• Friday, October 11: Dartford west tunnel, 11pm to 6am
• Saturday, October 12: Dartford west tunnel, 10pm to 5am. A282 J1a to M25 J2 (southbound), 9.30pm to 7.30am
• Sunday, October 13: Dartford east tunnel closure, 10pm to 5am (no access for vehicles over 4.8m)

It comes after it was announced the M5 will close in both directions this weekend.

The mass shutdown – which started earlier this week – is part of a programme of maintenance works which are expected to last as long as six months.

With the completed route is approaching 50 years old, road bosses have ordered a programme of renewal this year.

National Highways is set to carry out “essential repairs” to the concrete layer on which the carriageway sits.

This requires them to strip away the surface layers to access the base before resurfacing afterwards.

Where work is carried out, the road will have to be closed fully in both directions at different times, with diversions put in place where possible.

The repairs began last month and will continue in several rounds across the next six months.

Also coming in this weekend, requirements and standards for driving licences are set to change from October 5, as laid out by the government.