M25 opens eight hours EARLY with councillor saying congestion was ‘a lot better than expected’ after public heeded travel chaos warnings having been told to use the weekend to …

• It was the first daytime closure of the motorway since it opened in 1986

By Matt Strudwick[1] and Matthew Lodge[2]

Published: 20:51, 17 March 2024 | Updated: 02:53, 18 March 2024

The M25 has opened eight hours ahead of schedule tonight after a five-mile stretch was closed in an unprecedented shut down for construction works.

Drivers had been warned they faced chaos on the roads if they decided to travel over the weekend after part of London’s orbital motorway was completely closed to traffic.

Motorists had been warned to expect five-hour jams along the diversion route which weaved through the backroads of Surrey due to the closure between junctions 10 and 11.

However, it was reported that congestion was ‘a lot better than expected’ as public took the advice of the traffic bosses who had urged them to ‘decorate the bathroom or something’ rather than travel.

There was even more good news as late on Sunday night National Highways announced that the closure was being lifted early after the demolition of a bridge and installation of a gantry took place faster than expected.

The closure of a section of the M25 between junction 10 and 11 has taken place over the weekend to remove a bridge and install a new gantry

The closed section of the M25 looking eerily quiet during the first daytime closure of the motorway since it opened in 1986

Drivers had been told to expect the section of motorway, which is one of the busiest in England, to remain closed for 57 hours, but it was actually shut for 49 hours.

In a tweet published at 10.11pm on Sunday, National Highways: South-East said: ‘The weekend closure of the M25 J10 – J11 is now open in both directions, 8 hours ahead of schedule.

‘The closure was to demolish a bridge and install a huge gantry. We’d like to say a massive ‘thank you’ to everyone for your patience and following our travel advice.’

The GBP317million reconstruction project to improve one of the busiest junctions of the M25 is earmarked to be completed in the summer of 2025 and will see four more closures of the ring road happen before September.

There had been some build-up, with congestion stretching two miles at one point, but traffic along the new route through the towns of Byfleet, West Byfleet, Woking and Ottershaw was not as bad as feared.

Amanda Boote, of Woking Borough Council, told the PA news agency: ‘It’s actually been as lot better than we expected, it’s not gridlocked in the way that we thought it would be.

‘It was built up a bit, but no different to how it might normally be. Actually residents are quite happy, they’ve been sleeping well because it’s so quiet overnight.’

Terry Sims, 52, the managing director of Silvermere Golf Club told The Telegraph[3] he feared his turnover would plummet by up to GBP300,000 if it carried on looking like a ‘ghost town’ during the next scheduled closures of the M25.

‘It was a ghost down today,’ he said Terry Sims,. ‘It seems that a lot of people stayed away – we were 45 per cent down in the restaurant and 43 per cent down in retail…

There was a period of time where basically nobody came in.’

The National Highways South-East (NHSE) said this morning its work remains on schedule as it shared an image on X of a new gantry being guided in place with a crane.

On Saturday night, the organisation said it had made ‘good progress’ during the first 24 hours of work to demolish a bridge.

It was the first planned daytime closure of the M25 – which encircles London – since it opened in 1986.

Some locals visited the empty motorway to take selfies.

An 11.5-mile diversion route has been created to direct traffic along A roads.

While urging people not to travel, Jonathan Wade, project leader at National Highways, said: ‘Please, if you can either avoid travelling completely, find something to do at home – decorate the bathroom or something, or play in the garden.’

Pub landlords along the M25 motorway diversion route said they have suffered a ‘massive hit’[4] as locals stayed at home on Sunday to avoid travel chaos.

Pub managers in Weybridge said they have seen numbers drop over the weekend as people stay at home to avoid the travel chaos.

Jennifer, manager of the Old Crown Pub, told MailOnline: ‘We’ve noticed a massive hit in our business which is very unusual on a Sunday. Way less people than usual.’

Meanwhile, the manager of Minnow pub in Weybridge also said the pub was unusually quiet, telling MailOnline: ‘It’s quieter than normal.’ They added: ‘We kind of expected it so we planned accordingly.’

A section of the M25 is seen closed as a new gantry was installed on Sunday in London

Pub managers in Weybridge, south west London, said their businesses have taken a ‘massive hit’ on Sunday as people stay at home to avoid the travel chaos

A gantry being installed overnight on the closed section of the M25 motorway in Surrey

The gantry can be seen being installed overnight on the M25 motorway in Surrey

A cyclist makes his way through vehicles queuing along the street going into Weybridge, south-west of London yesterday

The manager of Minnow pub in Weybridge said the pub was unusually quiet, telling MailOnline: ‘It’s quieter than normal’

The manager of the Old Crown Pub in Weybridge told MailOnline they had received a ‘massive hit’ to their business on Sunday

Meanwhile, drivers have complained of travel chaos on the diversion routes as well as ‘confusing’ road signs.

One commuter who drove through the M25 closure via the diversion route in Surrey this morning[5] told MailOnline: ‘The motorway itself actually resembled the all too familiar Covid-19 lockdown, however it was the diversion which had lengthy delays [and] build up of motorway traffic.

‘The worst affected areas were Chobham Village and West Byfleet where queues formed on the approach to an array of roundabouts.

‘These village type roads were certainly not designed for this amount of traffic including HGV lorries.

‘Finally, for somebody not used to this diversion route, which I suspect many, including tourists travelling from Heathrow Airport and […] lorry drivers, it was very confusing not helped by [the] yellow ‘Diversion’ signs scattered around Surrey’s affluent leafy villages.’

They added: ‘Because of their signage causing confusion to drivers, I witnessed a lot of angry drivers tooting each other through the Surrey diversion whilst they attempted to get to grips with the diversion in unfamiliar surroundings.’

National Highways said ‘good progress’ has been made demolishing the bridge and building a new gantry.

There were two-mile lines of gridlocked traffic leading up to the closed section of the motorway on Saturday – with Surrey Highways reporting delays on the diversion route between Byfleet and Painshill.

Drivers are bracing for a third day of travel chaos amid the ‘unprecedented’ closure of the M25 in Surrey

Traffic being diverted upon reaching Junction 10 of the M25 between, in Surrey, that is closed in both directions between Junctions 10 and 11

Work continues to demolish a bridge over the closed M25 at Junction 10 at Wisley in Surrey

Workers have been working through the night to continue the demolition and gantry installations

Workmen on the section of the M25 between Junctions 10 and 11, in Surrey, that is closed in both directions while a bridge is demolished and a new gantry is installed

It comes as incredible drone pictures showed the demolition of the bridge between Junctions 10 and 11 – which has been the cause of this weekend’s five-mile traffic queues.[6]

The birds-eye images show the section of the road that has been stripped away, surrounded by forklift trucks and HGVs.

It is the first of five planned closures on the M25 – with motorists given a taste of what to expect for the four remaining closures up to September 2024[7].

Motorists have been left languishing in long tailbacks, with nearby villages ground to a halt following the closure. The road will remain inaccessible until 6am on Monday while a bridge is demolished and a new gantry installed.

National Highways had warned motorists to only travel ‘if necessary’ while the closures are in place, but thousands have failed to take heed.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter[8], National Highways South East attempted to reassure motorists that works are ‘progressing’ despite miles of tailbacks on approach to the closure at junction 10.

South East Ambulance Service have pleaded with motorists to make room for emergency service vehicles over the weekend.

A spokesperson said: ‘We ask for the public’s support and advise motorists to avoid the area unless their journey is essential.

‘We also ask that, as ever, they are aware of any emergency vehicles looking to progress through any heavier traffic.’

The repairs this weekend represent the first of five planned closures on the M25 between now and September 2024

Another overhead view shows work ongoing at Junction 10 of the London orbital motorway

A normally busy section of the M25 between Junctions 10 and 11, at Byfleet in Surrey, is closed in both directions

Vehicles are seen queuing to leave the carriageway at Junction 10 of the London orbital motorway the M25, near Cobham

Long tailbacks are beginning to build up on the A320 as part of the diversion route avoiding the closed section of the M25

A huge operation is underway to unload vehicles carrying essential equipment for this weekend’s work

There are currently two mile tailbacks with things expected to get worse over the coming hours

Traffic is being diverted while work continues on the major junction which is being replaced over the weekend

A bridge across the M25 has been demolished as workers try and complete the project before 6am on Monday

Concerns have been raised that thousands of drivers will be stuck in gridlocked traffic over the weekend during the unprecedented closure, with one councillor calling it a ‘nightmare’.

Now a section of the M4 at Reading has been shut both ways due to a ‘police incident’ causing further chaos to the west of the capital.

Meanwhile, traffic began to build along the main diversion route through Byfleet, West Byfleet, Woking and Ottershaw.

NHSE estimated the average journey time along the diversion route was 25 minutes, assuring drivers of minimal congestion.

It is the first planned daytime closure of the motorway – which encircles London – since it opened in 1986.

An 11.5-mile diversion route has been created to direct motorway traffic along A roads.

A five-mile stretch will remain shut until 6am on March 18 between Junctions 10 and 11, with vehicles diverted down an 11.5 miles route while the Clearmount bridge is demolished to make way for improvements to the road.

With drivers pushed out through neighbouring villages, the closure of the motorway is expected to cause congestion through affected areas southwest of London, including Ottershaw, Addletone and Wisley.

On an average weekend day, some 6,000 vehicles per hour – or 100 each minute – use the affected five-mile stretch between the two junctions.

Motorists are being funnelled before reaching Junction 10 to get them off the motorway and onto the diversion route

Long delays are being reported as hundreds of drivers ignored warning to avoid the area

The motorway is expected to stay closed until Monday while Clearmount bridge is demolished (Pictured: J11 approach by Weybridge)

The M25 London Orbital Motorway will remain shut until Monday amid ‘improvements’ (Pictured: J11 approach by Weybridge)

Diversions are set up for people travelling on the busy road on Saturday, near Weybridge

The M25 is expected to stay shut until Monday – but could be closed longer if needed

Drivers are being directed down an 11.5 mile diversion route instead

National Highways has warned motorists to only travel ‘if necessary’ while the closures are in place.

They say they are looking to ‘demolish the Clearmount bridleway bridge and install a very large gantry’, expecting the work to be completed by Monday.

‘Without a full closure of the M25 at this junction, it would be impossible to safely demolish the overbridges and install the new gantry.’

It fits into a longer-term improvement project expected to be completed by mid-2025.

The renovations will ultimately see new lanes built to make ‘journeys safer and improve traffic flow,’ according to the agency.

‘It will also make it easier and safer to enter and exit the M25.’

But without another option, if the work is not completed by Monday it could spell disaster [9]for commuters heading into the capital at the start of next week.

At its peak, National Highways says [10]about 270,000 drivers use the stretch on a weekday.

The closures this weekend will be the first of five between now and September 2024.

With cars set to be redirected through small villages this weekend, residents who live in the likes of Byfleet, Ottershaw and Woodham are concerned about the impact on local life.

Motoring experts believe official estimates of congestion levels may be ‘optimistic’, while local councillors in areas where traffic will be diverted are anticipating chaos.

The photos show miles of deserted road, still lit up by the amber overhead lights (Friday night)

Motoring experts believe official estimates of congestion levels may be ‘optimistic’, while local councillors in areas where traffic will be diverted are anticipating chaos

With cars set to be redirected through small villages, residents who live in the likes of Byfleet, Ottershaw and Woodham are concerned about the impact on local life

The motorway was shut down at 9pm on Friday night, with drivers warned to avoid Surrey as there are fears ‘traffic will be nose-to-tail’.

One councillor in Byfleet, which is set to be gridlocked during the closure, said life for locals living on the diversion routes will be a misery.

The M25 diversion routes this weekend

The five-mile stretch of the M25 between Junctions 10 and 11 in Surrey will be closed in both directions[11] from 9pm on Friday until 6am on Monday.

A local diversion route will be in place which is the same for both directions:

• Junction 10 to Junction 11: Northbound A3 to Painshill Junction, A245 towards Woking, and then A320 to M25 Junction 11
• Junction 11 to Junction 10: A320 south towards Woking, A245 towards Byfleet and Painshill junction, Southbound A3 to Junction 10

Taking the M25 in the other direction to avoid the closure is also an option.

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Cllr Daryl Jordan said: ‘Basically they’ve slaughtered us in the area, they’ve dumped it on us and we’re suffering.

‘I’m expecting to see absolute gridlock this weekend – everybody I know, and I’ve been in this area for years, has said they’ve been shopping already, they haven’t made any plans and if anything it will be like Covid lockdown[12] and people will be walking the canals and what’s left of our greenbelt.

‘It’s wrong, they’ve taken two days of our lives away – two days when we’re off work.’

National Highways expect motorists will face five-hour delays along the diversion route – although it is feared that this is overly optimistic.

People going to Heathrow[13] and Gatwick[14] Airport have been advised to use rail services – but a stolen car hitting a railway bridge in south London stopped Gatwick Express trains on Friday afternoon.

A massage and beauty therapist said the M25 closure will have a ‘massive impact’ on her weekend plans both with her business and family.

Elizabeth Lancemen runs Nice To Be Kneaded , a mobile and home-based business in the village of Woodham which is on the diversion route.

But she will not be able to visit any clients over the next few days due to the disruption – and can also not take her son to his football club.

Ms Lanceman told MailOnline: ‘For my business I either work from home or mobile. Obviously I can’t be mobile this weekend. Only local clients can come to me.

It’s not like I can put a massage kit on the basket in my bike.

‘Also family wise, the kids have all got clubs, football clubs – we can’t walk there, we can’t get there.’

Her parents are due to fly into Heathrow Airport on Sunday, so she was also concerned at how long her journey will be to pick them up.

And she has had to cancel dinner five miles away in Shepperton because she would have to leave after an hour just to get home before the closure.

While Ms Lanceman accepted that she ‘understands what needs to be done’ on the M25, she added: ‘We’re at the time when everyone’s struggling financially and it’s going to hit local businesses.

‘The roads around here are already a nightmare. I don’t think our roads are built for thousands of cars an hour.’

A diversion will be in place while the M25 is closed between Junctions 10 and 11 in Surrey

This will be the first planned daytime closure of the orbital motorway since it opened in 1986

The M25 has now closed for the weekend, after motorists rushed to complete their journeys

An empty M25 is seen tonight after a five-mile stretch was closed for the weekend

The motorway was shut down at 9pm tonight, with drivers warned to avoid Surrey

Traffic is held as a roadblock is put in place on the M25 as the motorway is closed tonight

The road between Junction 10 and 11 is closed to allow the demolition of a bridge this weekend

Motorists have run out of time complete their journeys before the motorway is closed for the weekend, as locals living on the diversion route stockpile groceries

Heavy traffic is pictured as people head home ahead of the M25 road closures this evening

The Junction 11 approach by Weybridge, Surrey is full of drivers rushing home tonight

The road – which opened in 1986 – will have the busy section shut until 6am on Monday

Traffic at junction 10 of the M25 in Surrey during a site visit on Monday ahead of the closure

Amanda Boote, councillor in Byfleet on Woking Borough Council, told Sky News: ‘It’s going to literally be gridlock, nose to tail.’

Taking a reporter through the local area, she said: ‘Looking at now, this isn’t even rush hour, this is just a regular journey.

‘All of those cars are going to be coming up and down this road on both sides, because when they come off at Junction 11 they’re going to be coming the way we are going now, and when they come off at 10 they’re going to be going the other way – and it’s just a single carriageway.’

Sophie Trippit, a cafe worker who has lived in Byfleet for 20 years, told Yahoo News[15]: ‘It’ll be carnage. Where the cafe is situated, everyone can cut through the village.

The unprecedented M25 closure will bring ‘carnage’ to villages on the diversion route with ‘traffic everywhere’ and weekend plans cancelled, locals have warned.

Drivers will be stuck in ‘gridlock, nose to tail[16]‘ when the five-mile stretch between Junctions 10 and 11 in Surrey will be closed in both directions from 9pm tonight until 6am on Monday while a bridge is demolished and a new gantry is installed.

The first planned daytime closure of the London[17] orbital motorway since it opened in 1986 will see locals forced to walk everywhere amid forecasts of five-hour queues.

Motoring experts believe official estimates of congestion levels may be ‘optimistic’, while local councillors in areas where traffic will be diverted are anticipating chaos.

Byfleet in Surrey is among the areas facing traffic ‘carnage’ this weekend from the closure

A couple walking on the River Wey towpath at Byfleet, a Surrey village on the diversion route

With cars set to be redirected through small villages, residents who live in the likes of Byfleet, Ottershaw and Woodham are concerned about the impact on local life.

‘We call it ‘The Byfleet Bubble’.

I’m not planning on going anywhere. I’m lucky to be able to walk to work, and that’s what I’ve told my family to do. It’s not going to be fun.’

Elizabeth Lancemen, who runs a massage and beauty therapy business from home in Woodham, added: ‘If you can’t walk somewhere this weekend, don’t go.

‘My son has football at the weekend in Byfleet and we can’t get there and we’ve got a kids club on Sunday, which we can’t get to either.’

M25 closure will have ‘massive impact’ on weekend plans for business and children

A massage and beauty therapist said the M25 closure will have a ‘massive impact’ on her weekend plans both with her business and family.

Elizabeth Lancemen runs Nice To Be Kneaded[18], a mobile and home-based business in the village of Woodham which is on the diversion route.

But she will not be able to visit any clients over the next few days due to the disruption – and can also not take her son to his football club.

Ms Lanceman told MailOnline: ‘For my business I either work from home or mobile.

Obviously I can’t be mobile this weekend. Only local clients can come to me. It’s not like I can put a massage kit on the basket in my bike.

‘Also family wise, the kids have all got clubs, football clubs – we can’t walk there, we can’t get there.’

Her parents are due to fly into Heathrow Airport on Sunday, so she was also concerned at how long her journey will be to pick them up.

And she has had to cancel dinner five miles away in Shepperton because she would have to leave after an hour just to get home before the closure.

While Ms Lanceman accepted that she ‘understands what needs to be done’ on the M25, she added: ‘We’re at the time when everyone’s struggling financially and it’s going to hit local businesses.

‘The roads around here are already a nightmare.

I don’t think our roads are built for thousands of cars an hour.’

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And self-employed local resident Carolyn Atkins said: ‘It’s going to be awful. The last time they had a road closure nearby there was traffic everywhere.’

National Highways said modelling carried out while it was developing its plans for this weekend indicated vehicles would face delays of up to five hours without mitigation measures, such as urging drivers to stay away.

The Government-owned company believes its awareness campaign will help reduce traffic levels by approximately 50 per cent, meaning the length of time added to journeys will be limited to around an hour.

An 11.5-mile diversion route has been created to direct motorway traffic along A roads.

Malcolm Cressey, Ottershaw councillor for Runnymede Borough Council, said: ‘I think it’s going to be a difficult period but we have to sort out those bridges.

‘I think it’s going to be very disruptive. I would certainly urge anybody to try and avoid the area.

It could end up with all sorts of gridlock in our area.’

And Tahir Aziz, Canalside councillor for Woking Borough Council, said: ‘We’ve never experienced something like this before.

‘It will have a significant impact in this area.

It will cause huge disruption and delays, and a lot of traffic jams.’

The M25 normally carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles in each direction every hour from 10am until 9pm at weekends between Junctions 9 and 11.

This includes many airline passengers travelling to, from and between the UK’s two busiest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick.

Amanda Boote, councillor in Byfleet on Woking Borough Council, told Sky News: ‘It’s going to literally be gridlock, nose to tail.’

Taking a reporter through the local area, she said: ‘Looking at now, this isn’t even rush hour, this is just a regular journey.

‘All of those cars are going to be coming up and down this road on both sides, because when they come off at Junction 11 they’re going to be coming the way we are going now, and when they come off at 10 they’re going to be going the other way – and it’s just a single carriageway.’

National Highways is urging drivers not to use their sat navs to attempt to find quicker alternative routes on minor roads due to fears this could cause major congestion.

Byfleet councillor Amanda Boote told Sky News: ‘It’s going to literally be gridlock, nose to tail’

Traffic approaches junction 10 of the M25 in Surrey on Monday ahead of the planned closure

National Highways project lead Jonathan Wade said it was tough to forecast the amount of congestion that will be caused by the closure because ‘it’s so unprecedented’

Motorists have been warned to avoid the M25 to the west of London as traffic worsens

Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: ‘We must hope National Highways has overstated its dire predictions of sat navs adding to the traffic chaos by taking drivers off the official diversion route, because the temptation to try to skip the queues will be intense, and the impact on actual journey times uncertain.

‘Whilst the modelling suggests around an hour might be added to people’s travel time, that will feel optimistic to anyone used to the frustrations of driving round the M25 on days even without major construction works under way.’

Four more daytime closures of the M25 will take place up to September.

The project, due to be completed in summer 2025, will increase the number of lanes at Junction 10, which is one of the UK’s busiest and most dangerous motorway junctions.

Traffic approaches junction 10 of the M25 in Surrey on Monday ahead of the planned closure

Mr Gooding said: ‘National Highways needs to learn from this weekend’s experience and work closely with neighbouring road managers to minimise the traffic impacts of the further planned closures.

‘It must give as much certainty and notice as possible – months rather than weeks – to drivers and hauliers, many of whom will be making trips that can’t be put off to another day.’

Earlier this week, National Highways project lead Jonathan Wade said it was tough to forecast the amount of congestion that will be caused by the closure because ‘it’s so unprecedented’.

He added: ‘It’s very difficult to determine right now how effective all our traffic management will be.

Please don’t travel if you can avoid it.’

Mr Wade also said: ‘Please, if you can either avoid travelling completely, find something to do at home – decorate the bathroom or something, or play in the garden.’

Drivers have been warned to avoid the area and only use the 11.5-mile diversion route if necessary

References

1. ^ Matt Strudwick (www.dailymail.co.uk)
2. ^ Matthew Lodge (www.dailymail.co.uk)
3. ^ The Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
4. ^ suffered a ‘massive hit’ (www.dailymail.co.uk)
5. ^ drove through the M25 closure via the diversion route in Surrey this morning (www.dailymail.co.uk)
6. ^ comes as incredible drone pictures showed the demolition of the bridge between Junctions 10 and 11 – which has been the cause of this weekend’s five-mile traffic queues. (www.dailymail.co.uk)
7. ^ expect for the four remaining closures up to September 2024 (www.dailymail.co.uk)
8. ^ Twitter (www.dailymail.co.uk)
9. ^ disaster (news.sky.com)
10. ^ says (www.bbc.co.uk)
11. ^ closed in both directions (www.dailymail.co.uk)
12. ^ lockdown (www.dailymail.co.uk)
13. ^ Heathrow (www.dailymail.co.uk)
14. ^ Gatwick (www.dailymail.co.uk)
15. ^ Yahoo News (uk.news.yahoo.com)
16. ^ gridlock, nose to tail (www.dailymail.co.uk)
17. ^ London (www.dailymail.co.uk)
18. ^ Nice To Be Kneaded (www.nicetobekneaded.co.uk)