Five full closures of the M25 in 2024

[Joe Paxton]

Article from The Guardian (published Weds 6 March):

Motorists warned of long delays as M25 to shut for roadworks

Five-miles of London orbital motorway will close for an entire weekend with four more dates to follow

Drivers have been warned of unprecedented traffic jams with the first planned full closure of part of Britain’s busiest motorway, the M25, in March.

A five-mile stretch of the London orbital motorway will be shut for an entire weekend from late 15 March, affecting the journeys of an estimated 200,000 vehicles.

Work to widen the roads, including demolishing a bridge and installing a gantry, will shut the motorway in both directions between junctions 10 and 11 in Surrey for the longest planned closure of the M25 since it opened in 1986.
[...]

The first full closure is across the weekend of Friday 15th March at 9pm to Monday 18th March at 6am.

The National Highways press release (dated 5 March) is here.

The National Highways page for the M25 J10 project has more info including the diversion route:
www.nationalhighways.co.uk/m25j10

Future closure dates have not been announced, but the next one is due to take place in April (likely the weekend of 19 to 22 April) and then three more before the end of September. I'd imagine they'll all be across weekends but that's not actually been stated as such.


I'd expect some pretty heavy jams - all definitely best avoided!

 

[PTR 444]

I wonder how far from the affected stretch of M25 will diversion routes be signed? Coming from Dorset, I’d expect traffic headed for the anti-clockwise M25 would be signed at M27 J4 to stay on towards Portsmouth and take the A3 up to Wisley from there. Similarly I’d expect traffic coming from the A303 and Basingstoke to be directed off the M3 at J4 and follow the A331/A31/A3.

Also how might this affect National Express coach schedules? I ask having booked coach travel to Heathrow for this Saturday, so on a selfish note it’s a good job the closure isn’t happening this weekend.

 

[Ted633]

As a shift worker that uses this stretch of the M25 I'm thoroughly looking forward to this! (Not). The first closure only affects me for one day, but I'm not yet sure how I'm going to get around it.
Going to be chaos whatever way you go. Fingers crossed the remaining closures are when I'm off shift

 

[CarrotPie]

Article from The Guardian (published Weds 6 March):




The first full closure is across the weekend of Friday 15th March at 9pm to Monday 18th March at 6am.

The National Highways press release (dated 5 March) is here.

The National Highways page for the M25 J10 project has more info including the diversion route:
www.nationalhighways.co.uk/m25j10

Future closure dates have not been announced, but the next one is due to take place in April (likely the weekend of 19 to 22 April) and then three more before the end of September. I'd imagine they'll all be across weekends but that's not actually been stated as such.


I'd expect some pretty heavy jams - all definitely best avoided!

Hardly a "full closure", is it now?

 

[Joe Paxton]

Hardly a "full closure", is it now?

The joy of semantics!

How's about a "part full closure" ? (!)

 

[swt_passenger]

I wonder how far from the affected stretch of M25 will diversion routes be signed? Coming from Dorset, I’d expect traffic headed for the anti-clockwise M25 would be signed at M27 J4 to stay on towards Portsmouth and take the A3 up to Wisley from there. Similarly I’d expect traffic coming from the A303 and Basingstoke to be directed off the M3 at J4 and follow the A331/A31/A3.

It’s the Wisley junction that’s being rebuilt, that might not be such a great idea - I‘d expect the junction itself to still be jammed . I think I’d go even further along and up via Gatwick…

 

[PTR 444]

It’s the Wisley junction that’s being rebuilt, that might not be such a great idea - I‘d expect the junction itself to still be jammed . I think I’d go even further along and up via Gatwick…

Ah yes, I forgot about the A27/A280/A24/A264/M23 route. That’s mostly dualled apart from Arundel and the A280, although I can imagine the increased traffic would certainly clog up Chichester…

 

[swt_passenger]

Ah yes, I forgot about the A27/A280/A24/A264/M23 route. That’s mostly dualled apart from Arundel and the A280, although I can imagine the increased traffic would certainly clog up Chichester…

You‘ve also got the option to miss Arundel taking the A29 from Fontwell towards Horsham, that’s the way I normally used to be taken when heading to Gatwick in airport cabs, for trips to Edinburgh or Glasgow…

 

[Lost property]

To paraphrase that immortal headline " Roadworks on M25 London cut off "

As National Highways (assumes no new rebranding name has taken place) is involved, all timings should be treated as wishful thinking unless, by some unprecedented miracle, they are correct.

 

[simonw]

To paraphrase that immortal headline " Roadworks on M25 London cut off "

As National Highways (assumes no new rebranding name has taken place) is involved, all timings should be treated as wishful thinking unless, by some unprecedented miracle, they are correct.

In terms of closures for this rebuild, they have pretty much stuck to the timetable.

 

[OscarH]

I can imagine the increased traffic would certainly clog up Chichester…

I don't remember the last time Chichester wasn't clogged anyway

 

[johncrossley]

Hardly a "full closure", is it now?

This is the first full *weekend* closure of the M25. The word "weekend" is missing from the original post and thread title.

 

[CarrotPie]

This is the first full *weekend* closure of the M25. The word "weekend" is missing from the original post and thread title.

So the entire M25 is closing at once over a weekend?

 

[johncrossley]

So the entire M25 is closing at once over a weekend?

A small part of M25 is closing for the full weekend. Normally closures are overnight only.

 

[CarrotPie]

A small part of M25 is closing for the full weekend. Normally closures are overnight only.

So it's still not a full closure then!

 

[edwin_m]

So it's still not a full closure then!

Something like "all-lane closure" would perhaps be more accurate.

 

[DelW]

So it's still not a full closure then!

Other than short motorways which are essentially just a long slip road, I doubt if any motorway has been closed over its entire length for a weekend.

If you read about a "full closure" of the M6, would you expect every section from Rugby to Carlisle to be closed to all traffic?

 

[Joe Paxton]

This is the first full *weekend* closure of the M25. The word "weekend" is missing from the original post and thread title.

I am the OP and, after consideration, the omission of the word "weekend" was deliberate - the thread title was intended to encompass all five 'full' closures this year, and whilst it's certainly possible (or indeed likely) the other closures will also span entire weekends this is not stated in the National Highways press release or anywhere else.

One has to assume the further four closures will also be daytime ones - as such there'll almost certainly be at the weekend, but might not span the whole weekend - e.g. Saturday or Sunday only. (I suppose it's also possible they might be planned to span the weekend but the road could reopen early if the work is complete - I have no inside insight!)

The hope must be that many road journeys are simply not made when the closures are on, but even so the remaining displaced traffic could have an impact far and wide, a long way away from the (seemingly inevitable) traffic jam through Byfleet and West Byfleet on the official diversionary route.

Thankfully (and one would hope the result of some road/rail co-ordination) - in SWR-land the only major rail engineering works on the weekend of 16-17 March is the closure of the Portsmouth Direct Line (between Havant and Haslemere on Sat, and between Havant and Guildford on Sun).

 

[CarrotPie]

Other than short motorways which are essentially just a long slip road, I doubt if any motorway has been closed over its entire length for a weekend.

If you read about a "full closure" of the M6, would you expect every section from Rugby to Carlisle to be closed to all traffic?

Yes, quite frankly. Words are important.

 

[stuu]

This is pedantry to a certain extent, but "M25 closed all weekend at J10" would be a better thread title.

"Full closure of the M25" is the sort of cheap clickbait title local news websites use to lure you in before you find out it's miles away

It is very unusual for them to do this though, especially multiple closures. And all to facilitate solving the problems of a roundabout by...er... building a bigger roundabout

 

[Junctionman]

I read the BBC report about this yesterday ...........but this morning just to make it worse ,scare people ,wind people up etc etc the headline is

M25: Fears of gridlock as section of motorway closed.​

Why `FEARS`

i had enough of the news on tv during covid , but its now just stupid, i heard this phrase re the media

"If it bleeds,it leads"

also it whats real and whats fake

Latest News
Russian troops to invade London and because of closures on the M25 we cant send
reinforcements



ok rant over

 

[dangie]

We are travelling from the Midlands down to Dover tomorrow for the channel crossing. Hopefully the northern section of the M25 over the Dartford Crossing will be ok.

 

[richa2002]

I read the BBC report about this yesterday ...........but this morning just to make it worse ,scare people ,wind people up etc etc the headline is

M25: Fears of gridlock as section of motorway closed.​

Why `FEARS`

i had enough of the news on tv during covid , but its now just stupid, i heard this phrase re the media

"If it bleeds,it leads"

also it whats real and whats fake

Latest News
Russian troops to invade London and because of closures on the M25 we cant send
reinforcements



ok rant over

Do what I do and simply stop reading it. You'll feel far better and be no less informed.

 

[Ted633]

Looks like a lot of people have taken the warnings on board. At the moment (touch wood) it all looks ok according to Google Maps.

 

[dangie]

Looks like a lot of people have taken the warnings on board. At the moment (touch wood) it all looks ok according to Google Maps.

The BBC website is saying congestion is building on the diversion routes. Think I'd believe Google Maps.

 

[The exile]

The BBC website is saying congestion is building on the diversion routes. Think I'd believe Google Maps.

I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a bit of congestion on alternative routes to the M25 most Saturday mornings - after all it’s a time when people are out and about on local journeys.

 

[Mogster]

I read the BBC report about this yesterday ...........but this morning just to make it worse ,scare people ,wind people up etc etc the headline is

M25: Fears of gridlock as section of motorway closed.​

Why `FEARS`

i had enough of the news on tv during covid , but its now just stupid, i heard this phrase re the media

"If it bleeds,it leads"

also it whats real and whats fake

Latest News
Russian troops to invade London and because of closures on the M25 we cant send
reinforcements



ok rant over

Agree completely. The tone of the articles must be massively frustrating for the people that manage these projects.

I assume the BBC isn’t going to follow up its fake news with “closure of the M25 for major maintenance goes as planned with as little disruption as possible”…

A few months ago the media ran with similar hysterical reporting of “fears” of weekend traffic armageddon on a local section of the M6. The traffic system was supposed to collapse due to a weekend of coinciding public events. I remember driving home from work on the same section of M6 North that Saturday afternoon with much less traffic on the road than normal.

 

[brad465]

Agree completely. The tone of the articles must be massively frustrating for the people that manage these projects.

I assume the BBC isn’t going to follow up its fake news with “closure of the M25 for major maintenance goes as planned with as little disruption as possible”…

A few months ago the media ran with similar hysterical reporting of “fears” of weekend traffic armageddon on a local section of the M6. The traffic system was supposed to collapse due to a weekend of coinciding public events. I remember driving home from work on the same section of M6 North that Saturday afternoon with much less traffic on the road than normal.

I wonder if it's one of those things that the "fear-striking" articles earlier on actually changed people's behaviour to lead to it being less serious than was being made out. The only way to find out is if for one of the following closures the reports are less dramatic and numerous and see if there is more disruption as a result.

 

[Junctionman]

Do what I do and simply stop reading it. You'll feel far better and be no less informed.

Good point

 

[nlogax]

I assume the BBC isn’t going to follow up its fake news with “closure of the M25 for major maintenance goes as planned with as little disruption as possible”…

BBC News: M25 closures: Work 'on schedule' as Monday rush hour looms

The "unprecedented" daytime closure of one of the country's busiest stretches came into force at 21:00 GMT on Friday.

A diversion is in place while a five-mile stretch is closed, with the motorway due to reopen fully at 06:00 on Monday.

National Highways said "good progress" had been made demolishing a bridge and installing a new gantry.

The closure is along both carriageways between junctions 10 and 11, with people told to only use the M25 if "absolutely necessary".