M25 closures: avoid junctions 10 to 11 as complete shutdown threatens traffic chaos
More M25 chaos is in store for drivers, as the latest round of closures kicks off at 9pm on Friday
Roadworks on the M25 once again threaten chaos for travelling motorists this weekend, as National Highways implements a full closure of London’s orbital motorway.
Drivers in Surrey using M25 Junctions 10 to 11, or expecting to pass the junctions while circulating on the M25 in either direction, are being urged to find alternative routes or or choose a different weekend to travel. Anyone using signposted diversions are likely to find themselves caught in significantly congested traffic and facing big delays. Associated congestion is also likely to affect non-motorway routes close to the affected junctions, on what is usually the UK’s busiest motorway.
The closure will be in place from 9PM on Friday 21 March to 6AM on Monday 24 March, and it’s the fifth and final closure in a project costing almost £320m that is designed to improve safety and travel times at the junction of the M25 and M3 motorways.
The work has involved numerous bridge demolitions, one of which is being replaced with a thoroughfare billed as the UK’s first ‘heathland bridge’ which will be planted to accommodate 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 today’s 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 due to high numbers of visiting spectators.
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.
The M25 works were previously planned to end this summer, but National Highways recently announced that the completion date for the Junction 10 project 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 Emission 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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