07 March 2024 , 13:38
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A section of the M25 will be fully closed for three nights later next week - and for the very first time in its history.
A five-mile stretch of the carriageway will be closed from 9pm on Friday March 15 until 6am on Monday March 18. Drivers and residents in Surrey have been warned of heavy congestion and delays on the M25 and local roads through Byfleet, West Byfleet and surrounding towns.
This closure comes as a result of a full weekend closure at the Wisley Interchange to allow for bridge demolition and the installation of a new gantry as part of ongoing £317 million improvement works. RHS Wisley will be open during this closure, having previously been forced to close.
A diversion route has been shared by authorities that doubles the distance to travel between Junction 10 at Wisley and Junction 11 at Chertsey where the motorway will be shut in both directions. The M25 closure is set to be in place from 9pm on Friday, March 15 until 6am on Monday, March 18 - the times have been amended since earlier reported dates.
Up to 6,000 vehicles pass between Junctions 9 and 11 on the M25 per hour in each direction from 10am to 9pm at weekends, according to National Highways. Drivers have been urged to consider whether their journeys are absolutely necessary with heavy traffic expected on smaller roads, reports Surrey Live.
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The same bypass is being recommended for drivers, taking them via parts of A3 north of M25 towards Cobham. This route moves through Byfleet, West Byfleet, Sheerwater, and Ottershaw before motorists can re-enter the motorway at Chertsey.
An additional four shutdowns have also been planned between now and September 2024. The next total closure is planned for April although this might change. This follows full weekend closures of the A3 as part of the same project - the most recent one occurred in February.
A representative of National Highways stated: "[The closure] means the M25 between junctions 10 and 11 will be closed in both directions from 9pm on Friday 15 to 6am Monday 18 March." Over the weekend, they will tear down the Clearmount bridleway bridge and set up a large gantry. According to National Highways, carrying out the work would be unsafe without shutting down the route. Jonathan Wade, the project lead at National Highways, has asked drivers to only use the M25 in March if it's absolutely required for their travel.
He commented: "We have spent months planning for these closures and making sure there are diversion routes in place, but there will still be heavy congestion and delays. These improvements will bring long-term benefits to drivers who pass through this stretch of the M25, not to mention pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders who will also see positive changes in the area."
A person from National Highways said, "We carefully plan all our closures to limit disruption, but sometimes it's not possible to carry out all the work that's needed without a closure. We have planned all our closures to avoid holiday periods and key events in the area. The work needs to be carried out now to continue the good progress on the delivery of the scheme which is due to open to traffic next summer."
The Wisley Interchange is getting better with more lanes and easier ways to get on and off the motorway, making it safer too. The project, which costs an estimated £317 million - started in the summer of 2022 and should be finished by the summer of 2025. They've just put in the third of eight new bridges this January 2024, and they're about halfway done.