M23 Traffic Chaos: Your Local Guide to the Gatwick Crash Closure and How to Use Alternative Routes

Grab a cuppa and get comfortable, because the M23 has turned into an absolute carpark tonight. If you're trying to get anywhere near Gatwick or head south to the coast, you've already seen the nightmare. A serious smash – the kind that makes your stomach drop – has shut the motorway in both directions between junction 9 (Gatwick) and junction 10 (Crawley). The police have the area cordoned off, and the air ambulance landed. It's a scene no one wants to see.

I've driven these roads since before the M23 was even finished, and trust me, this is one of the worst closures in a decade. Word from the blokes on the ground is that it'll be shut for "several hours" while forensics do their work. That's official-speak for "find another route or you'll be here till sunrise." So here's my straight-talking M23 traffic guide that actually works – because your sat-nav is about to have a meltdown.

What's actually happened on the M23?

From what I've picked up at the services and the scanner chatter, a multi-vehicle pile-up near the airport exit has left the carriageway shredded. Emergency crews are still extracting people, and the crash involved a heavy lorry and at least two cars. The whole stretch from Pease Pottage to the airport is completely locked down. No traffic is getting through. Heading to Gatwick to catch a flight? You'd better be on the train or have a helicopter on standby.

This isn't a minor prang. This is the kind of incident that triggers a proper M23 traffic review later – the sort where Highways England promise to "look into signage" but nothing ever changes. For now, forget the official detours (the ones that send you down tiny B-roads that clog in ten minutes). I'll give you the local's way.

How to use M23 traffic detours like a pro (and dodge the gridlock)

The official "hollow diamond" diversion funnels everyone through Crawley town centre. And Crawley on a good day is a crawl. Tonight? It's a disaster. So here's my battle-tested how to use M23 traffic alternatives:

• Going north (towards London): If you're stuck south of the closure, jump off at Pease Pottage and take the A23 through Handcross. Yes, it's slower, but it keeps moving. Once you hit the A272 towards Bolney, you can pick up the A23 again past the chaos. I've used this trick for twenty years.
• Going south (towards Brighton/Coast): Avoid the M23 entirely from the M25. Instead, take the A24 through Dorking and Horsham. It's a bit more scenic, but it's flowing. Or, if you know the back roads, the B2036 from Crawley down to Handcross – but only if you're confident.
• Gatwick Airport bound: This is the painful one. The airport is right in the middle of the closure. Your best bet is to park at an off-site lot like Maple Manor or APH and let their shuttle buses navigate the back roads. Or honestly, call your airline and rebook. The trains from Victoria and Bridge are still running, but they'll be packed.

And whatever you do, don't blindly trust Google Maps tonight. Everyone and their dog is being rerouted down residential streets. I've already seen three near-misses on the B2110 because drivers are treating it like a racetrack. Chill out, stick to the A-roads, and add at least 90 minutes to your journey.

My honest M23 traffic review: It's a nightmare, but you'll survive it

Let me give you a straight M23 traffic review based on the last five hours of mayhem. The motorway itself is normally fine – three lanes, decent lighting, good for getting from the M25 to the coast in 30 minutes. But when it goes wrong? It goes spectacularly wrong. The problem is the lack of alternative high-capacity roads. Once the M23 sneezes, the whole of West Sussex catches a cold.

So here's my final advice for tonight: if you don't have to drive, don't. Stay home, put the kettle on, and wait for the updates. If you're already stuck, find a service centre – Pease Pottage is your friend – grab a coffee, and sit it out. The road will reopen eventually, but not before the morning rush. Drive safe, keep your hazard lights off unless you're actually stopped, and for the love of all that is holy, don't rubberneck. Let the emergency crews work.

I'll be out there tomorrow morning checking the aftermath. Until then, keep your cool and your distance. Cheers.