Ignore sat-navs during M25 closure, drivers urged

The M25 will be closed between junction 10 (pictured) and junction 11

An "unprecedented" closure of the M25 in Surrey has led to a plea to drivers to follow diversions and ignore their sat-navs.

The M25 will close from Friday night until Monday morning between junction 10 for Guildford and junction 11 for Chertsey.

Jonathan Wade, National Highways' project lead, said a previous closure of the A3 had seen traffic move to local villages, which was "problematic".

He said: "We can't influence people in terms of taking the initiative themselves and just simply following what a sat-nav says, but please follow the signs."

Mr Wade said there was "probably a greater risk of congestion by people just doing their own thing and thinking they can perhaps beat the signs and find a shorter or quicker route".

The five-mile stretch will close completely from 21:00 GMT on Friday unil 06:00 on Monday.

It is the first time there has been a scheduled daytime shutdown of all lanes on the M25 since it opened in 1986.

The closure is to enable the demolition of a bridge and installation of a new gantry as part of junction 10 improvements due to be completed in summer 2025.

Mr Wade said: "It is unprecedented.

"What we've been doing is encouraging drivers, long-distance drivers, to use the eastern side of the M25 via the Dartford crossing - certainly, if you're coming up from Kent and the South East and heading up towards the Midlands or to the West."

He said: "We really would encourage as many people as possible to avoid the area entirely, change their plans, go shopping on Thursday night rather than Saturday morning, or take the train."

The M25 normally carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles in each direction per hour between 10:00 and 21:00 at weekends between junctions nine and 11.

Modelling estimates drivers would face delays of up to five hours, but National Highways believes about another hour could be added to journeys.

Mr Wade said: "We really can't be certain how many people will heed the messages which we've given. It's very difficult to determine right now how effective all our traffic management will be."