Misery for drivers hoping for a May heatwave getaway as stretch of M25 to close for entire weekend
9 May 2024, 13:56
The UK is set to reach 26C this weekend - but some people's hopes for a weekend getaway are set to be dashed by M25 closures.
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A seven-mile stretch of the London orbital motorway will close at 9pm on Friday and reopen at 6am on Monday.
The road will be closed between Junction 9, Leatherhead and Junction 10, A3.
The M25 closure is for works on a new bridge at Junction 10.
Drivers are being advised to avoid the area if possible.
Drivers will be diverted along an alternative route that stretches from 19 miles, to and from Junction 8 and Junction 10.
Read more: How to avoid the travel chaos caused by the M25 closure - alternative routes explained
The diversion is A217, A240 and the A3.
The good news for drivers using the diversion is that they won't be subject to ULEZ charges.
But people have been told not to use their Satnav, as if they don't follow the official diversion they may be charged.
National Highways senior project manager Jonathan Wade told the PA news agency: "Although the (ULEZ) cameras will be active, no enforcement action will be taken.
"However, if you ignore the diversion signs and do your own thing, then if your vehicle's not compliant you do run the risk of getting caught.
"You'll be perfectly safe as long as you follow the diversion routes."
It comes after the M25 shut between junctions 10 and 11 (A320 Chertsey Interchange) in Surrey from the evening of March 15 to the early morning of March 18.
The closures are part of a £317 million improvement project.
Fears that diversion routes would become overwhelmed during the first planned closure - between Junctions 10 and 11 - in March proved unfounded as traffic levels were more than two-thirds lower than normal after a widespread awareness campaign.
Mr Wade said there is a "very real" risk that the lack of disruption then means some motorists will not heed warnings to replan journeys this weekend.
"We've upped the amount of correspondence that we've been sending out to try and counter that but it remains an issue," he said.
Other stretches of the M25 will also be disrupted this weekend due to ongoing work to retrofit additional emergency stopping areas on smart motorway sections.
Mr Wade explained that the Junction 10 work can be halted at various points throughout the weekend if it runs behind schedule, as "we wouldn't jeopardise opening the M25 on Monday morning".
