‘Decorate the bathroom or something’ National Highways boss tells drivers ahead of first ever M25 closure
15 March 2024, 07:05 | Updated: 15 March 2024, 10:24
Drivers have been told to ‘decorate the bathroom or something’ while the M25 is closed a full weekend for the first time.
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The UK's busiest road is to shut between junctions 10 (A3 Wisley) and 11 (A320 Chertsey Interchange) in Surrey from 9pm today to 6am Monday 18 March.
Drivers have been warned only to travel if necessary as the closure is expected to cause heavy congestion.
Speaking to LBC News, the Project leader at National Highways, Jonathan Wade, has urged people to “find something to do at home” rather than travel this weekend ahead of the scheduled work.
He told Martin Stanford: “Please, if you can either avoid travelling completely, find something to do at home – decorate the bathroom or something, or play in the garden.
“If you must go, travel by train, walk, use a bicycle. I don't mind really what you do.
“Avoid driving anywhere around those diversionary routes around Painshill, Byfleet, West Byfleet on the eastern side of Woking. It will be in your interests,” he told The Independent's travel podcast.
The closure is to allow the demolition of a bridleway bridge and installation of a large gantry.
Read more: M25 to close for entire weekend for first time - everything you need to know
Mr Wade said the work is necessary as the M25-A3 intersection “simply cannot handle the volume of traffic that it's currently being asked to handle”.
This is the first of five closures between now and September.
National Highways said the improvement scheme will lead to an increase in the number of lanes to "make journeys safer and improve traffic flow".
They added it will make it easier and safer to enter and exit the M25 and provide safer entry roads for Wisley, Pyrford, Old Byfleet and RHS Wisley. They said it will also reduce the pollution caused by traffic jams.
This will be the first scheduled daytime all-lanes shutdown on the M25 since it opened in 1986.
Mr Wade also said: “Drivers should only use the M25 if their journey is absolutely necessary.
"This is the first of five full closures of one of the busiest junctions on our road network.
“We have spent months planning for these closures and making sure there are diversion routes in place, but there will still be heavy congestion and delays," he added.
The next full closure of the M25 is due to take place in April.
Drivers should expect heavy traffic while the shutdown is in place, as it typically carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles in each direction every hour.
National Highways senior project manager Daniel Kittredge added: “If people move away from diversion routes that we prescribe, it creates additional issues in different parts of the road network.
“The majority of the time that will be local roads, so that really impacts residents in those particular areas.”
“That's why we're trying to encourage people to not follow the satnav.
“Stick on the prescribed diversion route. It's going to be more suitable for your journey.”
Diversion routes
Junction 10 - Junction 11: North bound A3 to Painshill Junction, A245 towards Woking, and then A320 to M25 Junction 11
Junction 11 - Junction 10: A320 south towards Woking, A245 towards Byfleet and Painshill junction, Southbound A3 to Junction 10
Taking the M25 in the other direction to avoid our closure is also an option.
