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The M25 in Surrey has reopened eight hours earlier than planned, bringing relief to motorists following a planned closure for bridge demolition and installation works.
The five-mile section of the London Orbital Motorway between junctions 10 and 11 had been closed since 9 pm on Friday, with the initial plan to keep it shut until 5:30 am on Monday to facilitate the demolition of a bridge and installation of a large gantry. However, to the surprise and delight of many commuters, the motorway was reopened in both directions just after 10 pm on Sunday.
Concerns had been raised about potential gridlock and traffic chaos during the closure, especially over the weekend. Despite some initial congestion, traffic flow through alternative routes in the towns of Byfleet, West Byfleet, Woking, and Ottershaw was smoother than expected.
Amanda Boote of Woking Borough Council expressed her relief, stating, “It’s been a lot better than we expected, it’s not gridlocked in the way that we thought it would be.”
National Highways South-East shared that good progress had been made during the first 24 hours of work, with an image showing a new gantry being guided into place with a crane on Sunday morning.
This closure marked the first planned daytime shutdown of the M25 since its opening in 1986. An 11.5-mile diversion route was put in place to redirect traffic along A-roads, alleviating some concerns about congestion.
The M25 typically sees heavy traffic, especially between junctions nine and 11, which are crucial routes for airline passengers travelling to and from Heathrow and Gatwick airports. With four more daytime closures scheduled up to September, motorists can expect further disruptions as improvement works continue. The ongoing project aims to enhance safety and alleviate congestion at Junction 10, one of the UK’s busiest and most hazardous motorway junctions, with completion expected by summer 2025.
