Can you imagine how terrible the traffic will be on the M25 due to its closure during the ‘stay home weekend’?

“During the weekend of March 15-18, the appropriate slogan for motorists who typically travel on the southwest quadrant of the M25 motorway is ‘Stay home weekend’.”

During the weekend of March 15th to March 18th, 2024, National Highways will close both lanes of the M25 between junctions 10 and 11. These are important intersections located on the southwest part of the motorway. Junction 10 connects the M25 to the A3 towards Guildford and Portsmouth, and is frequently used by drivers going to Chessington World of Adventure. Junction 11 serves as a crucial connection between Staines and Woking, and also provides access to the A317 leading to Weybridge.

The National Highways organization has announced a closure to demolish the Clearmount bridleway bridge and install a large gantry structure. They have determined that a full closure of the M25 at this junction is necessary for the safe demolition and installation of the new gantry.

On weekends during the day, the usual amount of vehicles that pass through the M25 between those junctions is approximately 5,000 per hour.

The organization has designated an alternative route which is over two times longer than the five-mile distance between the two exits. National Highways is advising to only travel if absolutely necessary.

People traveling to Heathrow and Gatwick airports will experience disruptions, as well as drivers making their way to Channel crossings in Kent.

What is the severity of the situation? These are the critical inquiries and responses.

The National Highways agency states that it is involved in a significant undertaking to enhance travel safety and decrease pollution levels.

The plan for Junction 10 involves adding more lanes to ensure safer travels and better traffic movement. Additionally, it will provide safer access to and exit from the M25.

It will also decrease the environmental impact of congested roadways.

There have been a few night closures during times of minimal traffic, but not during regular daytime hours.

At 9:30am on 29 October 1986, then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher officially opened the last section of the M25 motorway around London, connecting London Colney and South Mimms.

Up until now, issues such as accidents, traffic and construction have been major sources of trouble. However, there has not been an instance where a critical section of one of the busiest highways in Europe has been completely shut down for an entire weekend.

There will be a total of five scheduled closures occurring between now and September 2024.

According to Jonathan Wade, the National Highways Project Lead, individuals should only utilize the M25 if their trip is absolutely essential.

“We have dedicated several months to organizing and preparing for these closures, including establishing alternative routes. However, traffic and delays are expected to be significant.”

The alternate route includes the A3, A245, and A320.

“It is possible to take the opposite direction on the M25 to avoid our closure,” stated National Highways.

The organisation’s senior project manager, Daniel Kittredge, urges motorists not to follow recommendations of their satnav, and instead stick to the official diversion. The fear is that gridlock could quickly spread across northwest Surrey.

“If individuals deviate from the designated diversion routes that we recommend, it can cause further complications in various sections of the road system,” he explains. “Most likely, this will affect nearby roads, significantly affecting the local residents in those specific regions.”

According to Alice Simpson, spokesperson for RAC Breakdown, the main alternative routes are expected to experience heavy traffic.

The most ideal option is to depart as early as feasible and steer clear of traveling during peak times, such as late morning and lunchtime.

Due to its reputation as one of the most heavily traveled roads in the nation, any rise in the number of drivers on the M25 may result in an increase in breakdowns and traffic congestion.

According to her, drivers going to Heathrow or Gatwick airport will need to allocate more time for their journey.

Prior to the opening of the M25, traveling between the UK’s top two airports was quite sluggish and convoluted by means of roads. Coach connections between Gatwick and Heathrow are also expected to experience interruptions.

The spokesperson for National Express stated that their services will still be running on alternate routes during the upcoming closure of the M25 between junctions 10 and 11.

“We anticipate delays and recommend that customers budget ample time for their travels.”

“We are reaching out to customers impacted by the weekend’s detour to provide a complimentary modification to their ticket if they would like to adjust their travel arrangements.”

A representative from FlixBus stated that the majority of their routes will not be impacted by any M25 closures. They will continue to provide dependable and reasonably priced transportation as per usual. However, a small number of services traveling between Bristol and South Wales will end at Heathrow instead of going to Gatwick airport from March 15th to 18th.

“Travelers who had tickets for these Gatwick flights have been provided with the choice to either reschedule their travel date or receive a complete reimbursement.”

Yes. The easy option is to take the Elizabeth Line from Heathrow to Farringdon in central London, which has a direct connection to Thameslink trains. The journey time is about 90 minutes.

Unfortunately, National Rail does not provide a fare for the entire trip. The solution is to purchase one ticket from Heathrow to East Croydon and another from East Croydon to Gatwick. The combined one-way fare for both tickets is £22.30.

Yes. 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 congestion.

Several important railway connections throughout Great Britain are unavailable, potentially worsening the issues caused by the closure of the M25. This includes the line between London Marylebone and Aylesbury, where train service is currently suspended.

Additional rail closures:

Source: independent.co.uk