Thousands face M25 chaos as Junctions 10 and 11 close until Monday

Drivers are facing miles of traffic congestion along M25 diversion routes[1] after a huge portion of Britain's busiest motorway was shut down Friday night. There are fears thousands of motorists could get stranded in gridlocked traffic over the weekend after a five-mile stretch of motorway between junctions 10 and 11 was closed at 9pm Friday. It will not reopen until 6am Monday morning.

Congestion was reported early Saturday on the approach to the motorway closures[2] and continued to build up throughout the day. It is only expected to get worse as more cars travel through the area across the weekend - with drivers warned to only use the M25 if "absolutely necessary". The closure, which is in place to allow a bridge to be demolished, is likely to affect more than 200,000 travellers across the weekend - many of them trying to make their way in and out of London.

Workman 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. Picture date: Saturday March 16, 2024. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire

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

National Highways said the route would run northbound A3 to Painshill Junction, A245 towards Woking, and then A320 to M25 junction 11 between junction 10 to junction 11. Going in the opposite direction, the route follows the A320 south towards Woking, A245 towards Byfleet and Painshill junction, southbound A3 to junction 10. Heavy traffic was also reported along the unofficial diversion route through Surrey's usually quiet villages.

Google Traffic - which calculates congestion by crowdsourcing location data from Google Maps users - alerted to significant traffic entering Byfleet and between Addlestone and Weybridge.

Google Traffic alerted to significant traffic entering Byfleet and between Addlestone and Weybridge

Despite the huge closure, no official diversion signs have been put in place to prevent blockages throughout the surrounding villages, police said. However, most drivers appear to be using the same route through Byfleet and Ottershaw. Providing an update on the situation this morning, National Highways South-East wrote on X: "Delays building on approach to the closure at J10 (C/W) approx.

2 miles of congestion." National Highways, which operates and maintains the UK's motorways, has reminded drivers across the region to expect lengthy delays and to only travel if "absolutely necessary". Amid the huge congestion, South East Coast Ambulance reminded drivers to still remain vigilant and make way for emergency vehicles amid the chaos.

"It's likely to be a challenging weekend for our teams," the service said on X. "Please be aware of any emergency vehicles looking to progress through any likely heavy traffic." The M25 normally carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles in each direction per hour from 10:00 until 21:00 at weekends between junctions 9 and 11.

'Chocka' traffic brings local businesses to near standstill

Natalie Overton, the owner of a local health and wellness centre located on the main diversion route said the M25 road closure has had a "big impact" on her business. The local entrepreneur said it initially looked from her premises window like the traffic was moving, but said her son, who had been out on the road, confirmed it was "chocka all the way down to the centre of Weybridge".

The local area had been plagued with various roadworks for over a year now, Ms Overton told i. "It's not just the main road work. It's it's when they put in additional, smaller roadworks or temporary traffic lights, and it just snarls up traffic.

That has been impacting the business all year," she said. Ms Overton said the closure has also affected her family's usual routine. "The school that my kids go to sent out an email.

They've cancelled all the school sports this weekend in anticipation of the traffic." But while traffic was at a near standstill at the south end of the suggested diversion route, Colin Hare, the manager of a fish and chip shop two miles up the road said traffic was "quieter than usual". "It might get a bit worse later.

But there's nothing much out there. Maybe everyone stayed away," he said. In preparation for the extra traffic and people choosing to stay off the road this weekend, Mr Hare said the business had reduced its stock.

"We're gonna lose business today. It's not good. It's hard enough as it is at the moment.

But this is going to make it worse," he concluded.

References

1. ^ M25 diversion routes (inews.co.uk)
2. ^ Saturday on the approach to the motorway closures (inews.co.uk)