- Written by Emily Cody Stemp and Christian Fuller
- BBC News, South East
WATCH: Section of M25 cleared to allow roadworks
Motorists on the M25 in Surrey are facing miles-long setbacks after an “unprecedented” road closure was imposed.
A five-mile stretch of both carriageways between junctions 10 and 11 will be closed at 9pm (GMT) on Friday and will remain closed until 6am on Monday.
Traffic jams are occurring on the detour route and motorists are being urged to “be smart and not try to be smart” and look for alternatives.
Use the M25 only when “absolutely necessary”.
The M25 is also being held in a clockwise direction between junctions 5 and 6 near Sevenoaks following a multi-vehicle crash.
National Highways said, “There are delays in access.”
Although traffic is flowing fairly steadily along the designated detour route, Surrey Highways has warned that congestion is growing between Byfleet and Paynes Hill, with two miles of traffic jams expected as the road closes. I warned you.
This is the first time that all lanes of the M25 have been systematically closed during the day since it opened in 1986.
This will allow for the demolition of the bridge and the installation of a new gantry, which is currently in place.
The closure is part of the Junction 10 Improvement Plan and is expected to be completed in mid-2025.
According to National Highways, the carriageway between junctions 9 and 11 typically sees between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles per hour in each direction from 10am to 9pm on weekends.
Sun Tom Cruise has reportedly kept a helicopter on standby in case the cast and crew of his latest Mission: Impossible movie are unable to reach Longcross Studios in Surrey due to the closure.
Representatives for Cruise did not respond to an approach from the BBC, while Longcross Studios declined to comment.
The village of Byfleet was on the detour, and residents headed to the motorway bridge to take photos of the empty lanes.
Councilor Amanda Butte described it as a “historic moment”.
She added: “Traffic is starting to pick up, but it was a very pleasant night.
“We all slept well because we could hear the birds chirping.”
Mark Pollack, owner of caterer Billy Tong, said he expected 50% of his company’s weekend sales to be “wasted”.
He said he was forced to decline a request to be a vendor at an event in Guildford and was forced to cancel a stall at the market.
Cobham Veterinary Center is also on the converted site and has been affected by roadworks for more than a year.
Veteran Andrew Bladnoch told BBC Breakfast: “We have some clients who have quit because it is so difficult to get to and from us, but they have decided to move to a nearby clinic.
“It’s impossible for me to get in and out of here. The detour they’ve set up is effectively right past our front door, so it’s going to be a traffic jam.”
image source, Getty Images
A 5-mile stretch of both carriageways between junctions 10 and 11 will be closed until 6am on Monday.
Emergency services are also warning of a difficult weekend.
South East Coast Ambulance Service said on X (formerly Twitter): “It is likely to be a difficult weekend for our team.
“Please be aware of emergency vehicles attempting to proceed through areas where traffic is expected to be congested.”
St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey, warned people to “only come to hospital if necessary”.
Affected travelers could include those heading to Gatwick and Heathrow airports and Channel ports, as well as concertgoers, sports fans and holidaymakers visiting London and the surrounding areas, Highways said. Stated.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, told the BBC Radio 4 Today program that if you need to fly, you should take the train or allow plenty of time if you drive.
“This is unprecedented. We’ve never shut down the M25 for an entire weekend before… so the best thing to do is give yourself plenty of time and think ahead,” he said.
The closure is the first of five to take place between now and September as part of a £317m upgrade, with the next scheduled for April.
National Highways previously said it was not yet ready to announce exact dates for other road closures.
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