M25 closure: Millions braced for chaos over 10-mile diversion this weekend - full details
Thousands are facing a significant diversion, with a section of the M25 to be closed for a few days.
Drivers will be facing a 10-mile diversion this weekend as it has been announced the M25 will be shut between junctions 10 and 11.
The UK's busiest motorway, which encircles London, is being shut due to a new bridge being built near the roundabout at Junction 10. The bridge is expected to make journeys safer and reduce pollution.
The closures will operate from 9pm on Friday until 6am next Monday.
Jonathan Wade, National Highways senior project manager, said: "Please ignore your sat-navs and follow our diversion route instead."
National Highways also said in a warning: "Only travel if necessary. We’re grateful to all drivers who avoided previous closures and completed their journeys in other ways. We urge you to do the same again. If you do travel, expect delays and please leave a lot of extra time for your journey."
Drivers have been advised that heading the opposite way around the M25 via the Dartford Crossing may be quicker as it avoids the closure.
Other diversions include, from Junction 10 to Junction 11, taking the northbound A3 to Painshill Junction, A245 towards Woking, and then A320 to M25 Junction 11.
Motorists affected will be those planning to travel to and from the UK’s busiest airports - Heathrow and Gatwick - as well as anyone heading to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, to which the festival’s organiser has advised to "allow a little more time than planned” for the trip.
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The construction of the bridge is part of a £317 million project to improve Junction 10, consisting of 68 beams weighing 16 tonnes each, and another four beams of 40 tonnes.
Works are expected to be finished by summer 2025, with increased lanes easing the heavy traffic that makes Junction 10 one of the UK's busiest and most dangerous.
The M25 usually has anywhere between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles every hour from Junctions 9 to 11 from 10am until 9pm over the weekends.
Two more closures are expected to take place later this year over two different weekends to work on the project.
A 15-mile diversion is also in place on the M1 this weekend, as delays are estimated to be with motorists up to 40 minutes.
