The emergency services were called after several road collisions on major motorways involving multiple vehicles.
Three lanes were shut on the M25 anti-clockwise carriageway between junction 26 for Waltham Abbey in Essex and junction 25 for Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire.
It came after a crash involving “at least seven vehicles” at about 17:15 GMT, National Highways said.
Shortly after a separate crash on the M1 northbound in Hertfordshire between junction eight and junction nine near Hemel Hempstead involving “at least four vehicles” also closed lanes and the fire service were at the scene.
