Motorists on the M2 faced severe delays on May 14 after a medical emergency shut the eastbound carriageway between junction 3 for Chatham and junction 4 for Hempstead. Kent Police led the response at the scene, where officers were called at 2pm to reports of a crash involving a lorry and pedestrian near junction 3.
A Kent Police spokesperson said officers were at the scene with the South East Coast Ambulance Service and Air Ambulance, and that the carriageway remained closed while police carried out an investigation. National Highways officers assisted with road closures, and a diversion was put in place through the A229 and the M20 to keep traffic moving around the incident.
The closure caused heavy disruption well beyond the stretch of the M2 itself. National Highways said delays reached 37 minutes with two miles of congestion on approach, while traffic reports showed the eastbound road shut from J3 Chatham/Rochester to J4 A278 Hoath Way in Gillingham. Congestion also stretched to the opposite side near Medway Services, and surrounding routes around Rochester, Chatham and Rainham were also clogged as drivers looked for another way through.
The incident was described in the source as both a medical emergency and a crash involving a lorry and a pedestrian, a reminder that a single event can paralyse a major route in minutes. For commuters, hauliers and anyone trying to cross Medway, the practical answer on May 14 was simple: the eastbound M2 was closed, the diversion was in force, and the queue kept growing until the scene could be cleared and investigators were done.
