Ground Transport Group - Britain's busiest motorway set for second full weekend closure in May

The M25 will be shut for a full weekend for the second time this year as work on the £317m Junction 10 improvement scheme continues.

National Highways made the unprecedented move of closing the motorway in March and made good progress by demolishing a bridge and installing a gantry.

Work was completed eight hours ahead of schedule which meant the section between junctions 10 and 11 was reopened to traffic early.

The project team’s attentions immediately turned to the plans to lift into place concrete beams for the eastern gyratory bridge and another large gantry, which will involve closing a different stretch of the M25.

This work will take place during a full weekend closure between junctions 9 (A243 Leatherhead) and 10 (A3 Wisley) from 9pm Friday 10 May to 6am Monday 13 May 2024.

These £317m essential works are one of five series of improvements to the M25 taking place this year, as part of the Government’s £24bn Road Investment Strategy (RIS2).

Jonathan Wade, National Highways Senior Project Manager, said:

“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.”

The Junction 10 improvement scheme will see an increase in the number of lanes to make journeys safer and new junction layout to improve traffic flow. It will also make it easier and safer to enter and exit the M25, and reduce the pollution caused by traffic jams.

This is the second of five full weekend closures of the M25 to take place with a further three due between July and the end of the year.

National Highways and delivery partner Balfour Beatty Atkins are continuing to liaise with key stakeholders in the lead up to this closure, including emergency services, Surrey County Council, local businesses and Gatwick and Heathrow Airports.

Local residents, holidaymakers, concertgoers and sports fans should plan their journeys in advance and make sure they allow extra time or make alternative travel arrangements.

For the closure of the M25 between junction 9 A243 Leatherhead and junction 10 A3 Wisley, planned to take place during the weekend of 11th & 12th May, there are four diversionary routes depending on the direction of travel and the type of vehicle. Each route will be clearly signposted and are as follows:

Diversion route clockwise (from Gatwick towards Heathrow) for most traffic:

Leave the M25 at junction 8, A217 (Reigate). Follow the A217 London, Sutton, (A240) Kingston. After 3½ miles turn left onto the A240 Epsom, Kingston. After 3 miles at the Esso roundabout, turn right onto the A24 (A240) Kingston. Continue for 3 miles and turn left onto the A3 Portsmouth, Guildford. Continue for 9½ miles to the M25 and re-join the motorway at junction 10.

Diversion route clockwise (from Gatwick towards Heathrow) for over height vehicles (over 15’0 / 4.6m):

Leave the M25 at junction 9 A243 (Leatherhead). Follow A243 London, Hook, Chessington. After 6 miles, turn left onto the A309 Esher, Staines, (A3) Guildford, Portsmouth. After 1½ miles turn left to the A307 Esher, Guildford A3. After 4½ miles, in Cobham, turn right onto the A245 M25, Guildford A3, Weybridge, Woking. After ½ mile turn left onto the A3 Portsmouth Guildford. Continue for 1 mile and re-Join the motorway at J10.

Diversion route anticlockwise (from Heathrow towards Gatwick) for most traffic:

Leave the M25 at junction 10 to join the A3 towards London. After 9½ miles at the Hook interchange leave the A3 turning right onto the A240 Epsom, Reigate. Continue for 3 miles to the Esso roundabout and turn left onto the A240 Reigate. Continue for 3 miles then turn right onto the A217 Reigate, M25. After 3½ miles turn left to re-join the M25 motorway at junction 8.

Diversion route anticlockwise (from Heathrow towards Gatwick) for over height vehicles (over 15’0 / 4.6m):

Leave the M25 at junction 10 to join the A3 towards London. After 1 mile at the Painshill interchange leave the A3 turning right onto the A245 Cobham (A307 Esher). After ½ mile turn left onto the A307 Esher. Continue for 4½ miles then turn right onto the A309 London, Sutton. Continue for a further 2 miles to the Hook interchange and turn right onto the A243 Dorking. After 6 miles, turn left to re-join the M25 motorway at junction 9.

Drivers using the signed diversion route will not be subject to any Ultra Low Emission Zone charges that may usually apply.

The carriageway between junctions 9 and 11 carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles per hour in each direction between 10am and 9pm on a weekend. Up to 270,000 vehicles pass through this junction each weekday and is one of the busiest stretches of road in the UK.

This phase of work needs to be carried out in May to continue the progress on the delivery of the scheme which is due to open to traffic in Summer 2025.

Future closure dates are subject to change and the third one will be announced as soon as possible following completion of the works on Monday 13 May 2024.

This next closure coincides with other ongoing improvements on our network including the installation of additional emergency areas on the M25 J23-27, M25 J5-7, M4 J10-12, M3 J2-4a and M20 J3-5. More information about these works can be found here.