Drivers are being urged to ignore satnavs and only follow official diversion routes during an ‘unprecedented’ M25 closure this weekend to avoid causing gridlock
(PA Wire)
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Drivers have been warned to “stay at home” as the unprecedented closure of the M25 is expected to cause a “carmageddon” of gridlock traffic this weekend.
The five-mile stretch of the motorway between Junctions 10 and 11 in Surrey will be closed in both directions from 9pm on Friday until 6am on Monday while a bridge is demolished and a new gantry is installed.
This is the first planned daytime closure of the motorway – which encircles London – since it opened in 1986.
National Highways said modelling carried out while it was developing its plans for this weekend indicated vehicles would face delays of up to five hours without mitigation measures, such as urging drivers to stay away.
Project lead Jonathan Wade said earlier this week: “Please don’t travel if you can avoid it.”
The M25 normally carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles in each direction every hour from 10am until 9pm at weekends between Junctions 9 and 11.
An 11.5-mile diversion route has been created to direct motorway traffic along A roads.
RAC warns of a month of ‘double traffic trouble’
RAC breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “With the M25 closures and the Easter getaway both falling in March, it could be a month of double traffic trouble for drivers trying to get around London or access Gatwick and Heathrow.
“Despite fair warning, the reality is most holidaymakers seeking to use either airport will have booked their trips months ago and will have to leave a lot more time to get there – not least because the most obvious diversion routes are likely to get extremely congested.
“If you do plan to drive between the 15th and 18th, we recommend starting your car to test its battery health well in advance of travelling and remembering FORCES to check the Fuel, Oil, Rubber, Coolant, Electrics and Screen wash before making any long journey.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 March 2024 10:25
What is the diversion route?
National Highways said it had “spent months planning for these closures and making sure there are diversion routes in place” – but it admits that there will still be heavy congestion and delay.
The diversion takes…
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