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An increasing number of drivers are “ignoring” an official diversion around the M25 motorway closure, highway bosses have said.
London’s orbital motorway, the busiest in the UK, is closed this weekend between Junctions 9 and 10 for maintenance work.
National Highways said it was “good progress” on installing a new gantry and a new gyratory bridge on a section of the motorway.
“Coming off at junction 9 means non-freight drivers will end up travelling behind or alongside HGVs which is something we are actively trying to avoid and is likely to have a negative impact on travel times, congestion and the communities they pass through,” Simon Elliott, National Highways senior project manager, said as he urged motorists to use the official diversion route.
Junctions 9 and 10 in Surrey closed at 9pm on Friday and won’t reopen until 5.30am on Monday.
Diversion routes take cars on a 19-mile journey on A roads, crossing from Surrey into London’s Ulez area, though National Highways has assured drivers “no enforcement action will be taken” if the follow official routes
Pinned post: M25 closed in both directions between Junctions 9 and 10 - mapped
Map below shows section of M25 motorway that is closed until Monday morning.
National Highways urges motorists to follow diversion
National Highways has issued a fresh plea for drivers on the M25 motorway to use an official diversion route to avoid maintenance work between Junctions 9 and 10.
“#M25 #Surrey remains closed in both directions between J9 #Leatherhead & J10 #Wisley for planned works until 05:30 - 13/05, work is progressing well,” it said in a post on X.
“Please follow the official diversion routes to manage traffic flow effectively.”
Drivers ‘ignoring’ official diversion route
An increasing number of drivers are “ignoring” an official diversion route around the M25 motorway closure, highways bosses have said.
London’s orbital motorway, one of the busiest in the country, is closed this weekend between Junctions 9 and 10 for maintenance work.
National Highways say they are making "good progress" to install a new gantry and a new gyratory bridge on the motorway.
“Coming off at junction 9 means non-freight drivers will end up travelling behind or alongside HGVs which is something we are actively trying to avoid and is likely to have a negative impact on travel times, congestion and the communities they pass through,” Simon Elliott, National Highways senior project manager, said as he urged motorists to use the official diversion route.
Watch: Drone footage captures scale of M25 closure as new bridge beams installed
Drone footage has captured the sheer scale of this weekend’s M25 closure as new bridge beams are installed.
ICYMI: Drivers warned over Ulez charges if they ignore diversions
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:
Drone footage of M25 closures as beams for new bridge installed
ICYMI: Why is the closure happening?
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.
Downturn in business claimed after M25 diversions
The 19-mile diversion route saw an “unusually low volume of traffic”, with residents and local businesses reporting quiet roads and reduced footfall in their towns and villages.
Councillor Rod Ashford from the Reigate and Banstead Borough Council told the PA news agency that, at around 5pm, traffic around junction 8, where the diversion route starts, was “free-flowing with an unusually low volume of traffic”.
He added: “Given the A217 would be a route to divert M25 traffic to Epsom and around (to the) M25 junction 9, traffic in my area is quiet.”
Meanwhile, in Epsom, a town on the diversion route, workers at Blacks Burgers told the PA news agency there had been a “downturn in business and walk-in trade” compared to last weekend and corresponding with the road closure, whilst the area in general seemed quieter.
National Highways previously urged drivers to only travel the route if necessary, to avoid the closure and to complete their journeys in other ways if possible.
The M25 closure is the second of five planned weekend closures which come as part of a £317 million project to improve junction 10.
In Pictures: M25 repairs see Bridge winched into place
More motorists ignoring diversions
National Highways said they had seen an increasing number of motorists choosing to ignore the diversion route, starting at junction 8, and instead continuing on the motorway to the next junction.
Simon Elliott, National Highways senior project manager, said it was “important that drivers follow the diversion route in place”.
He said in a statement: “It is the most effective way for people travelling clockwise along the M25 to reach their destination and will help keep traffic moving as well as possible during this weekend’s closure.
“Coming off at junction 9 means non-freight drivers will end up travelling behind or alongside HGVs which is something we are actively trying to avoid and is likely to have a negative impact on travel times, congestion and the communities they pass through.”
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2024-05-12 09:22:37Z
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