Part of M26 in Kent shut because of burst water main as drivers warned of delays

A motorway in Kent remains partly closed this morning (12 July) because of a burst water main.

The westbound carriageway of the M26 in Kent (J2a - M25, J2) is likely to remain closed throughout the day, according to National Highways.

It follows the discovery of a severe water leak on the South East Water network on Sunday evening.

It is not yet known when the road, which links to the M25, will reopen.

Technicians from South East Water are working to access the pipe and repair the leak but National Highways says it is thought significant damage may have been caused to the foundations of the westbound carriageway.

Speaking on Monday, South East Water said: "We're currently working around the clock to fix a burst main on our network which is located in the M26 motorway area.

"This is proving to be quite complex due to the location of our apparatus on the network being in an area overgrown with vegetation.

"Unfortunately this means we can't give you an estimated completion time at the moment, but we are working hard with Highways England to clear the area and resolve this issue as soon as possible.

"Once again we're really sorry for the interruption and we're doing everything we can to get this repaired as soon as possible."

Nick Bell, Head of Operations (Kent) for South East Water, added: "Our water technicians are on site and in the process of isolating the leak before excavating the area to find its exact location."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...