M25 shuts for the third time as drivers told to expect severe delays
Holidaymakers travelling on the M25[1] to or from Gatwick and Heathrow airports[2] have been warned of travel chaos this weekend as Britain's busiest motorway is set to close for the third time this year. The motorway was shut between junctions 10 and 11 in Surrey[3] from 9pm on Friday and is set to reopen at 6am on Monday. The closure is the third of planned M25 closures this year, which are part of a GBP317m project that will see a new bridge being built near junction 10 to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow.
Heavy traffic[4] appeared to build up on Saturday morning in Wisley and Cobham near the south end of the closed stretch, as well as Chertsey near the north end of the stretch. Travel delays are expected to grow as flocks of sports fans hit the road this weekend ahead of the men's Wimbledon final and the highly anticipated Euros football final featuring the Three Lions on Sunday.
This weekend will be the third of five planned closures of the M25 as part of a GBP317m improvement project
Chris Wood, from the AA, said: "With many football fans changing their plans following England's victory over Holland, it's likely to be incredibly busy in and around London. "We advise drivers to plan their journey accordingly, avoiding the west side of the M25 if possible, and to check ferry and tunnel operators' websites for updates before setting off."
Mr Wood also warned drivers making a last-minute journey to Berlin ahead of the Euros final to be cautious after direct flights from London to the German capital completely sold out. He said: "Our advice to drivers making a last-minute trip to Germany without tickets for the game is to make sure they have all the correct documentation and to check for parking and fan zone updates local to the area they're heading to, as travel and visitor restrictions are highly likely to be in place." The M25 closure is also expected to cause delays for those travelling to such family attractions as Thorpe Park[5] and Legoland.
Drivers heading to events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Wireless[6] and British Summer Time[7] may also face travel delays.
A 10-mile diversion will be set up using the A3, A240 and A245 to replace the closed route. Drivers travelling from junction 10 to 11 are advised to head northbound on the A3 to Painshill junction, take the A245 towards Woking and then the A320 to M25 junction 11. Drivers travelling from junction 11 to 10 are advised to head south on the A320 towards Woking, take the A245 towards Byfleet and Painshill junction, then head southbound on the A3 to junction 10.
The diverted routes do not go through any part of the Ulez (Ultra Low Emission Zone) area. RAC breakdown spokeswoman Alice Simpson said: "We're asking holidaymakers to ensure they plan ahead, which means checking their route before they set off, leaving even earlier than usual and, importantly, making sure their vehicles are road ready by checking the oil, coolant and tyres to give themselves the best chance of avoiding a breakdown." National Highways senior project manager Jonathan Wade urged drivers to ignore their satnavs as these could direct them to minor roads after leaving the M25, causing congestion in residential areas.
He said: "We would urge all drivers to follow the official diversion route as this is the best chance of reaching your destination in good time. "Please ignore your satnavs and follow our diversion route instead." The project on the M25 is set to be completed in summer 2025 and will increase the number of lanes at junction 10, which is one of the UK's busiest and most dangerous motorway junctions.
The first closure of the motorway was in March, followed by another in May[8], with National Highways suggesting that "good progress" had been made on the project.
Between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles normally use the M25 between junctions 9 and 11 in each direction every hour from 10am until 9pm on weekends.