M25 Closure to Cause Weekend Delays
Motorists are being warned of significant delays on the M25 this weekend due to a 10-mile closure between Junctions 9 and 10. The closure will be in place from Friday evening to Monday morning to allow for the installation of a new bridge.The closure is part of a £317 million project to upgrade Junction 10, which will involve five weekend shutdowns. Highways England is urging drivers to only travel if necessary during the closure.The closure is expected to cause major disruption, with the AA warning that delays are inevitable due to the high volume of traffic on the M25. The forecast temperatures of 24°C in Surrey over the weekend are likely to increase the number of people traveling, adding to the congestion.Traffic will be diverted over a 19-mile route using the A3 and A240. The diversion is likely to cause congestion on local roads and make it more difficult to access nearby attractions such as Thorpe Park, as well as major airports such as Gatwick and Heathrow. Senior project manager Jonathan Wade said that a similar five-mile closure of the M25 two months ago led to a significant reduction in traffic, which helped to minimize delays. However, he warned that the current 10-mile closure is likely to cause more disruption as it affects a longer section of the motorway and requires a longer diversion route. Wade said: “The situation this weekend will be very different from last time, with the diversion routes being longer and more varied, particularly for vehicles over standard height.”The closure is likely to have a significant impact on international travel and tourism, particularly for those traveling to or from Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The delays and diversions will not only affect local commuters but also international visitors, potentially discouraging short-term visits and complicating logistics for airlines and other travel services. The disruptions could also affect the attractiveness of nearby tourist destinations such as Thorpe Park, which could see a decrease in visitor numbers due to the less accessible transportation routes.
