M25 motorway news: advice for motorists ahead of the second of five weekend closures

• M25 will be closed in both directions between junctions nine and 10 from 9:00pm Friday 10th May to 06:00 Monday 13th May while a new bridge is installed
• Motorists warned to expect long delays and advised to find alternative routes or to not travel at all that weekend
• Further closures of this section of the M25 planned over the coming months during works for the ‘junction 10 improvement scheme’

For the second time ever, a stretch of the M25 will be closed in both directions for an entire weekend (10th to 13th May 2024) while National Highways undertakes roadworks to install a new bridge as part of ongoing £317m programme of improvements to junction 10 to improve safety and reduce pollution.

The closure, from 9:00pm on Friday 10th until 06:00am on Monday 13th May, will be in Surrey, between junctions nine and 10 – one of the busiest sections of the motorway, between the A24 at Leatherhead and the A3 at Wisley. Normally, up to 6,000 vehicles per hour in each direction would use this stretch at weekends.

These junctions are important for traffic travelling to or from Heathrow and Gatwick airports, the ports of Dover or Portsmouth, and can be an area of heavy congestion.  Drivers have been advised to avoid following sat-navs which may take them into gridlock on small local roads, and instead stick to the official diversion which zig-zags across the motorway.

See information on the closure and the route of the diversion on the National Highways website.

Jonathan Wade, National Highways Project Lead, recommended avoiding travel in that area if at all possible, saying: “This is far from a repeat of the previous closure, as the alternative routes are longer and will be different for over height vehicles and all other traffic.

“Drivers listened to our advice last time which reduced motorway traffic levels by over two thirds and meant delays were limited. Our advice again is please only travel if absolutely necessary and make sure you give yourself extra time if you do choose to use the M25.”

During April and May, there are other roadworks and lane closures on the M25 and surrounding motorways in the east to install 52 extra emergency refuge areas. Find out more here: https://www.carwow.co.uk/editorial/owning-a-car/everyday-car-tips/roadworks-on-m25-m3-m4-m20-m27-while-52-emergency-refuge-areas-installed

Why is the M25 being closed?

Both carriageways of the M25 will have to be closed for the second time ever in order to install a new bridge consisting of 68 beams, each weighing 16 tonnes, and another four beams weighing 40 tonnes. Motorists are being warned to expect long delays or to avoid travelling while this work is being carried out from 9:00 pm on Friday 10th and 06:00 am Monday 13th May.

This is part of the £317m ‘junction 10 improvement scheme’ to increase the number of lanes to help improve traffic flow as part of the government’s £24bn Road Investment Strategy. This is the second of five full closures of the M25 for essential roadworks over the coming months. A further three closures are planned between now and September 2024. 

The diversion routes are likely to add lengthy delays to journeys, taking in the A217, A240 and A24 towards, Kingston and Epsom, if travelling clockwise, or the A3, A245, A307, A309 and A243 towards Cobham, Esher and Dorking if travelling clockwise (from Heathrow direction). There will be other diversion routes in place for high vehicles.

Dates for the third closure of the M25 will be announced as soon as possible.

For the latest updates, National Highways will post regularly on X (Twitter) as @HighwaysSEAST.