M25 closure – live: Drivers warned to pack extra food and drink as motorway shuts

The key junction on the M25 closure diversion is the A3-A240 interchange at Tolworth in southwest London, travel correspondent Simon Calder reports.

It is a large and complex junction that is normally busy with local traffic and many bus services as well as vehicles joining and leaving the A3 trunk road between London and Portsmouth

Early on the first morning of the closure, traffic was flowing fairly freely. But the diversion route passes close to Chessington World of Adventures, which is expected to be very busy over the weekend. The RHS Garden Wisley, close to junction 10, is open as normal.

Motorists who decide to take the train instead between London and Portsmouth will find that the main railway line is partly closed due to Network Rail engineering work, with rail replacement buses running. There are also rail closures between Reading and Guildford, and between Guildford and Ash.

Traffic on the rest of the M25 is likely to be much heavier; for example motorists from Birmingham or Oxford taking the M40 to London may decide to head for Gatwick via the northern and eastern sections of the M25, increasing the distance covered by almost 100 miles.

“Only travel if necessary”: that was the message from National Highways ahead of the second weekend shutdown of the M25.

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Most unlikely, says travel correspondent Simon Calder. The project bosses are well aware that finishing before the Monday morning rush hour is essential.

There are a series of milestones place to make sure the M25 is open for business at the start of the working week.

Last time the work was completed, and the M25 reopened, eight hours ahead of schedule.

The RAC advised motorists to avoid travelling if possible and pack extra food and drink if they plan on using the M25 this weekend as stretches of the motorway shut for the entire weekend.

Alice Simpson, RAC breakdown spokesperson, said: “As this next M25 weekend closure immediately follows major national rail strikes which could see many more people take to the roads, it could be up to six days of disrupted travel for London’s drivers.

“The closures also coincide with the retrofitting of new emergency areas on all-lane-running stretches of the M25, meaning delays are likely between junctions 5 and 7 in Surrey and Kent and junctions 23-27 in Hertfordshire and Essex.

“With weekend temperatures reaching 25 degrees or even higher, it’s likely that routes around the 23-mile diversion will be busy as people make the most of the fine weather and jump in the car for day trips.

“Anyone heading to Chessington World of Adventures, which is close to the official A3 diversion route, should expect delays and pack extra food and drink in the event they’re on the road longer than expected.

“Holidaymakers heading to Gatwick or Heathrow should leave an hour earlier than usual and allow plenty of time for parking and security checks.”

National Highways said anyone ignoring diversion signs in an attempt to find shorter alternative routes will be liable for the £12.50 daily Ulez fee if their vehicle does not meet minimum emissions standards.

Full report:

The key junction on the M25 closure diversion is the A3-A240 interchange at Tolworth in southwest London, travel correspondent Simon Calder reports.

It is a large and complex junction that is normally busy with local traffic and many bus services as well as vehicles joining and leaving the A3 trunk road between London and Portsmouth

Early on the first morning of the closure, traffic was flowing fairly freely. But the diversion route passes close to Chessington World of Adventures, which is expected to be very busy over the weekend. The RHS Garden Wisley, close to junction 10, is open as normal.

Motorists who decide to take the train instead between London and Portsmouth will find that the main railway line is partly closed due to Network Rail engineering work, with rail replacement buses running. There are also rail closures between Reading and Guildford, and between Guildford and Ash.

Traffic on the rest of the M25 is likely to be much heavier; for example motorists from Birmingham or Oxford taking the M40 to London may decide to head for Gatwick via the northern and eastern sections of the M25, increasing the distance covered by almost 100 miles.

Clockwise diversion for all but over-height vehicles:

• leave 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 at the Tolworth interchange turn left onto the A3 Portsmouth, Guildford
• continue for 9½ miles to the M25 and re-join the motorway at junction 10

Anticlockwise diversion for all but over-height vehicles:

• leave M25 at junction 10 to join the A3 towards London
• after 9½ miles at the Tolworth 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.

Drivers using the signed diversion route won’t be subject to any Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charges that may usually apply. The Ultra Low Emission Zone will remain in force on all other routes in London across the weekend.

National Highways says it is necessary for “the installation of a bridge and gantry” as part of a £317 million project to improve junction 10 – which handles 300,000 motorists per day.

“Our improvements will reduce congestion, create a smoother flow of traffic and provide safer journeys for thousands every day,” National Highways says.

The organisation is promising:

• A larger roundabout with extra lanes to increase capacity.
• Free flow left turns at all four corners of the junction.
• New and safer routes for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders.
• Improvements to the local environment and wildlife.

Motorists are still being urged to visit Surrey this weekend despite the closure of the M25 motorway.

“Surrey is an enormous county so please carry on as you are,” National Highways project manager Jonathan Wade told BBC Radio Surrey.

He said the impact from the motorway closure was expected to be “fairly limited to certain areas”.