M25 closures: steer clear of M25 junctions 10 to 11 this weekend to avoid big traffic jams
Junctions 10 to 11 are to close from 9pm Friday as the delayed bridge project continues, and it looks set to cause more M25 traffic chaos
The UK’s busiest motorway is closing this evening and for the entire weekend between Junctions 10 and 11, and National Highways is urging drivers to find alternative routes.
The latest phase of a major three-year project to improve traffic flow at the point where the A3 meets the M25 involves another bridge demolition, and the M25 closure will be in place from 9pm on Friday 7 March to 6am on Monday 10 March. Diversions will be in place, but significant congestion was the predictable result of previous closures, and you can expect the same again.
The M25 Junction 10-11 closure will be in place again over the weekend of 21-24 March for further bridge demolitions, National Highways says. The bridges being replaced include one billed as the UK’s first ‘heathland bridge’ which will be planted to make a thoroughfare for wildlife as well as pedestrians.
Travel experts are forecasting plenty of pain for drivers who need to use the southern section of London’s orbital motorways during the closures. The RAC said it expects “really lengthy tailbacks”, pointing out that the Friday 21 March closure coincides with England’s World Cup qualifying match against Albania at Wembley, suggesting that diversion routes may be even more clogged than during previous closures.
With this in mind, senior project manager at National Highways, Jonathan Wade, warned drivers to “only use the motorway if their journey is absolutely necessary”, saying that “unfortunately, it’s simply not possible to carry out this scale of infrastructure improvement without there being some degree of short-term disruption.”
Future disruption associated with the project includes closing the A3 dual carriageway in both directions between the M25 Junction 10 and Cobham Roundabout over the weekend of 11-14 April.
Perhaps the icing on the very inconvenient cake for drivers is that National Highways has now announced that the completion date of the entire Junction 10 project, which was expected by the summer of this year, has been pushed back by around nine months to spring 2026.
Wade apologised to drivers, saying: “Periods of extreme weather in 2024 delayed some elements of our work, but since then we’ve worked hard to recoup that time and still complete the on-road elements on schedule.”
Why is the M25 closing?
The project at Wisley is set to be completed by spring 2026 at a cost to the taxpayer of a staggering £317million (or perhaps even more now the project’s been delayed), and this series of M25 closures is to allow works that will completely reconfigure the troublesome Junction 10 roundabout where the M25 and A3 meet.
These closures are the first time the M25 has shut during the daytime since it opened almost 40 years ago in 1986. However, National Highways says the improvements will not only “reduce congestion [and] provide safer journeys for thousands every day”, but also allow the installation of a nature bridge (also known as a heathland bridge) which will let wildlife cross from one side of the motorway to the other safely.
Nevertheless, National Highways is predicting “long delays” when the motorway is closed, with senior project manager, Jonathan Wade saying: “Our advice is please only travel if absolutely necessary and make sure you give yourself extra time if you do choose to use the M25.”
Where is the M25 closure?
National Highways provides official diversion routes for each closure; these will be signposted, with full directions listed on the official project website. If and when a diversion takes drivers through London’s Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), those not behind the wheel of compliant cars will not be charged.
During the closures of Junctions 10 and 11 from Friday night to Monday morning on the weekends of 7-10 and 21-24 March; signposted diversions will be put in place by National Highways.
From 11-14 April, the nearby A3 will close between the M25 Junction 10 and Cobham Roundabout/A245.
Do not use sat-nav to avoid M25 traffic problems
Many motorists worried about traffic problems resulting from the M25 closures will be tempted to use their sat-nav systems to try and find a quicker route, but the official advice is not to do so. Jonathan Wade warned that a previous closure on the A3 had resulted in major traffic build-up in local villages as drivers tried to find their own diversion routes.
"We can't influence people in terms of taking the initiative themselves and just simply following what a sat-nav says, but please follow the signs." He said, going on to explain that there was "probably a greater risk of congestion by people just doing their own thing and thinking they can perhaps beat the signs and find a shorter or quicker route".
Motorists should avoid travel in the area if possible except for essential trips.
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