Key Points
- Road Closure: The Ridgeway (A1005) road has been closed in both directions between the Robin Hood public house and the junction 24 of the M25.
- Presence of Police: There is an active emergency police incident, which requires that the road be fully closed.
- Effects on Traffic: Heavy traffic congestion has already started to form around the area, and significant delays have been experienced by drivers heading towards Potters Bar.
- Alternative Public Transport Services: Transport for London (TfL) has initiated an emergency diversion for the 313 bus service.
- Route for 313 Bus: The 313 bus is diverted via Stagg Hill, Cockfosters Road, Bramley Road, Enfield Road and Slade’s Hill in both directions.
Barnet (North London News) August 6, 2026 — A significant police-led emergency incident has forced the closure of The Ridgeway (A1005) in Barnet this afternoon, resulting in widespread traffic disruption and the emergency rerouting of local bus services near the M25 motorway.
Why is The Ridgeway in Barnet closed today?
The Metropolitan Police have cordoned off a stretch of the A1005 between the well-known Robin Hood public house and Junction 24 of the M25. According to local traffic reports and official updates from Transport for London (TfL), the closure was initiated following reports of an emergency incident requiring an immediate cordon. While specific details regarding the nature of the incident remain limited, authorities have confirmed that the road is blocked in both directions to allow emergency services to operate safely.
As reported by MyLondon, the immediate vicinity of the closure has experienced a rapid buildup of stationary traffic. Motorists attempting to access the M25 via Junction 24 or those traveling toward Potters Bar are facing substantial delays as the surrounding road network attempts to absorb the redirected volume of vehicles.
How are local bus services affected by the Barnet incident?
Transport for London has confirmed that the 313 bus route—a vital link for commuters in the Barnet and Enfield areas—is currently subject to an emergency diversion. To maintain service continuity while bypassing the police cordon, buses are operating on an altered route in both directions.
According to the official TfL status update:
- Buses are being diverted via Stagg Hill and Cockfosters Road.
- The route continues along Bramley Road.
- Traffic is then funneled through Enfield Road and Slades Hill before rejoining the standard route.
TfL has advised passengers that although these diversions are in place, they should anticipate “extended journey times” and potential gaps in service frequency while drivers navigate the unfamiliar detour. Commuters are encouraged to check live bus arrival boards or the TfL Go app for real-time updates regarding the 313 service.
What should commuters do to avoid the disruption?
Local authorities and traffic management agencies are urging motorists to avoid the A1005 corridor entirely until the cordon is lifted. While the police have not provided an estimated time for the reopening of the road, the scale of the closure suggests a complex scene that may take several hours to clear.
Drivers traveling toward Potters Bar are advised to seek alternative routes via the A111 or the A10, depending on their final destination, to avoid becoming trapped in the localized congestion surrounding the M25 Junction 24 interchange. Updates will be provided by local traffic authorities as the scene is processed and the road is deemed safe for public use.
Background of the particular development
The Ridgeway (A1005) acts as a critical arterial route connecting the suburban sprawl of Barnet with the strategic M25 motorway network. Because it serves as a primary feeder road for Junction 24—one of the busiest interchanges in North London—any unscheduled closure here creates a “bottleneck effect” across the regional highway infrastructure.
Historically, this stretch of road has been prone to significant disruption during emergency incidents due to the lack of immediate, high-capacity relief roads. The presence of the Robin Hood public house serves as a major geographic landmark for traffic management, often acting as the cut-off point for emergency cordons. Previous incidents in this area have demonstrated that even short-term closures can cause gridlock that extends as far back as Cockfosters and into the center of Potters Bar, primarily because commuters rely heavily on this route for cross-borough travel between the London Borough of Barnet and the Hertfordshire border.
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Prediction: How this development affects the local audience
The immediate impact of this incident will be felt most acutely by daily commuters and school-run traffic in the North London and South Hertfordshire sectors.
- For Motorists: The primary consequence is increased “rat-running”—where drivers attempt to bypass the closure by using narrower residential side streets. This often leads to secondary traffic incidents and increased frustration for local residents in the Cockfosters and Hadley Wood areas, who will see a temporary, sharp increase in noise and volume on roads not designed for heavy commercial or transit traffic.
- For Public Transport Users: Passengers on the 313 bus route will experience “bus bunching.” When a route is diverted through a longer, more congested path, vehicles become unevenly spaced. Some passengers may face longer waits followed by multiple buses arriving simultaneously once the route stabilizes.
- For Logistics and Delivery: Businesses in the Potters Bar industrial zones that rely on “just-in-time” deliveries via the M25 may face minor supply chain delays throughout the evening peak period.
While the incident is likely to be resolved by late evening, the residual effects of the traffic backlog often persist for 60 to 90 minutes after the road reopens as the system clears the excess volume of queued vehicles. Residents are advised to delay non-essential travel in the vicinity of Junction 24 until the late evening.
