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Drivers have been warned of lengthy delays and to only travel if necessary as parts of the M25 shut for the whole weekend.
The motorway – which is Britain’s busiest – will be closed in both directions between junctions 9 and 10 in Surrey from 9pm on Friday until 6am on Monday while concrete beams for a new bridge are installed.
National Highways senior project manager Jonathan Wade told drivers to leave extra time, follow official diversion routes and to “only travel if absolutey necessary”.
Diversion routes will take cars on a 19-mile journey on A roads, crossing from Surrey into London’s Ulez area, though National Highways has assured drivers “no enforcement action will be taken”.
The closure comes weeks after the motorway’s first-ever planned daytime closure over the weekend of March 15 which saw two-mile queues form.
Many drivers heeded advice to avoid the area in March allowing, meaning long traffic james to be avoided but Mr Wade warned this closure – which is two miles longer than the last – will be “far from a repeat of the previous closure”.
Drivers urged to pack extra food and drink if planning to travel on M25
The RAC advised motorists to avoid travelling if possible and pack extra food and drink if they plan on using the M25 this weekend as stretches of the motorway shut for the entire weekend.
Alice Simpson, RAC breakdown spokesperson, said: “As this next M25 weekend closure immediately follows major national rail strikes which could see many more people take to the roads, it could be up to six days of disrupted travel for London’s drivers.
“The closures also coincide with the retrofitting of new emergency areas on all-lane-running stretches of the M25, meaning delays are likely between junctions 5 and 7 in Surrey and Kent and junctions 23-27 in Hertfordshire and Essex.
“With weekend temperatures reaching 25 degrees or even higher, it’s likely that routes around the 23-mile diversion will be busy as people make the most of the fine weather and jump in the car for day trips.
“Anyone heading to Chessington World of Adventures, which is close to the official A3 diversion route, should expect delays and pack extra food and drink in the event they’re on the road longer than expected.
“Holidaymakers heading to Gatwick or Heathrow should leave an hour earlier than usual and allow plenty of time for parking and security checks.”
Athena Stavrou10 May 2024 09:55
M25 to shut for entire weekend
The motorway – which is Britain’s busiest – will be closed in both directions between junctions 9 and 10 in Surrey from 9pm on Friday until 6am on Monday while concrete beams for a new bridge are installed.
National Highways senior project manager Jonathan Wade told drivers to leave extra time, follow official diversion routes and to “only travel if absolutey necessary”.
Diversion routes will take cars on a 19-mile journey on A roads, crossing from Surrey into London’s Ulez area, though National Highways has assured drivers “no enforcement action will be taken”.
Athena Stavrou10 May 2024 09:54