Why M25 traffic news never goes quiet
The Department for Transport counts traffic on the M25 hour by hour. Their count beside junction 14 shows what every regular M25 driver already suspects — on one of the busiest roads in the country there is no quiet time, which is exactly why the latest M25 traffic news today matters more here than on most roads.
2 seconds apart
Junction 14, 7–8am
Heathrow — 14,457 vehicles an hour, both directions. In your lane, that is one every two seconds. Close one lane for ten minutes and 300 have nowhere to go — which is why a shunt becomes an hour of queue.
TIP: Two seconds behind the vehicle in front is also the Highway Code’s recommended following gap. M25 vehicle spacing is tight at the best of times, so tailgating simply increases the risk of accidents and delays for everyone.
Midday
the quietest hour — not mid-afternoon
12,808 vehicles in the quietest hour of the M25 working day, and it falls at midday. This motorway does not have a lull — it has a slightly smaller peak, all through the working day.
TIP: If you can move your journey, aim for midday rather than mid-afternoon. Most people guess the other way round.
No off-peak
breakfast to teatime
At the 7am peak the M25 runs at about 90% of what four lanes can carry, and it never drops far below. There is only 12.9% between the busiest and quietest hour of the working day, so roadworks and closures bite whenever they happen.
TIP: Drivers often try to avoid the rush hour. On the M25 there isn’t a single rush hour — it stays near peak all day. So planning your journey and checking the traffic is even more important.
6pm
busiest hour for cars
11,608 cars an hour. Two rush hours, three peaks: all traffic at 7–8am, lorries at 11am, cars at 6pm — the morning peak is the busiest hour on the road because it is carrying the freight. Two different kinds of traffic news through the day.
TIP: More cars are on the M25 at 6pm than at any other hour, and Junction 14 is the Heathrow junction. If you are driving to a flight or another appointment you cannot move, leave plenty of wiggle room.
That is why one lane closed on the M25 becomes a queue so quickly, and why it takes so long to clear. There is no spare capacity to absorb an accident and no quiet hour to recover in. It is also why we update this page with the latest M25 traffic news and accident reports for today every few minutes rather than a few times a day — on a motorway this busy, news that is an hour old is not news.
Hourly figures are from the Department for Transport’s own count point beside junction 14, counted on 23 April 2025 and published on 20 May 2026.
