The M25 is living up to its reputation as the ‘road to hell’ after a series of incidents that have caused travel chaos for motorists in the past week.

AA president Edmund King said there had been "gridlock" on the south-west section of the orbital motorway on two consecutive days this week.

On Wednesday a crash shut two lanes in Surrey and caused delays, following on from thousands of drivers being stuck in sweltering hear after a smash the previous day on another Surrey stretch of the road.

We have reported on several other problems on the motorway over the past few days that have caused congestion and hold-ups, including around the Dartford Crossing and in north-east London.

Mr King said: “AA Roadwatch reports that major incidents on the M25 are becoming a much more common occurrence. In these extreme weather conditions it is vital that major roads are cleared and reopened as soon as possible.

"If this catalogue of repeated delays happened on the railways then passengers would quite rightly be demanding compensation.

"Unfortunately drivers have no recourse to such action so just have to sit and bear it. However, delays in these temperatures are unbearable and very dangerous particularly for vulnerable drivers and passengers.”

He added: “In these sweltering temperatures the M25 seems to be living up to its name as the road to hell, or for trapped drivers, the road to nowhere.”