The M25 closures, London’s famous ring road, often feels like the heartbeat of UK travel. This massive motorway circles the capital, connecting millions of drivers to airports, cities, and towns. However, 2025 brings big changes with planned closures that promise to shake up journeys. National Highways leads these efforts to upgrade the road, but the work means disruptions, especially around Junction 10. If you drive this route, you need the latest scoop on what’s happening, when, and how to dodge the traffic jams. Let’s dive into the details of the M25 closures, focusing on March 2025 and beyond, so you stay ahead of the game.
Why the M25 Matters So Much
The M25 closures stretches 117 miles around Greater London, earning its nickname as the “London Orbital.” Every day, over 200,000 vehicles zoom along its lanes, making it the UK’s busiest motorway. Drivers rely on it to reach Heathrow and Gatwick airports, link up with other major roads like the M1 and M4, and bypass the chaos of central London. For many, it’s a lifeline for work, holidays, or quick trips. Yet, this popularity comes with a downside—congestion, accidents, and constant wear and tear demand regular fixes.
National Highways tackles these issues head-on with a £317 million project to revamp Junction 10, where the M25 meets the A3. This spot sees over 300,000 vehicles daily, making it a hotspot for delays and crashes. The upgrades aim to smooth traffic flow, boost safety, and even help wildlife cross safely. However, big improvements require big sacrifices, and that means closing stretches of the road. March 2025 marks a key chapter in this saga, with two full weekend shutdowns planned.
The Big Plan: Junction 10 Gets a Makeover
National Highways kicks off major work to transform Junction 10 at Wisley, near Surrey. This junction ranks among the busiest and most dangerous on the M25, so the upgrades promise long-term gains. Crews add four extra lanes to ease bottlenecks, expand the roundabout for better capacity, and build safer paths for cyclists, pedestrians, and horse riders. One standout feature grabs attention—the UK’s first “heathland bridge.” This structure lets wildlife, like deer and foxes, cross the motorway safely while blending into the landscape with planted greenery.
The project started in 2022, with a finish line originally set for summer 2025. Bad weather, including storms and heavy rain, slowed progress last year, pushing the completion to spring 2026. To get the job done, National Highways schedules full closures, especially for tricky tasks like demolishing old bridges. These shutdowns, while a headache for drivers, pave the way for a smoother, safer M25 in the future. March 2025 brings the next round of these disruptions, so let’s break down what’s coming.
March 2025 Closures: Dates and Details
Mark your calendars—two major closures hit the M25 in March 2025, both spanning full weekends. National Highways targets the stretch between Junction 10 (Wisley) and Junction 11 (Chertsey), a five-mile chunk that sees heavy traffic daily. These shutdowns allow crews to tear down old bridges and clear the way for new structures. Here’s the rundown of when and where the action happens.
The first closure runs from 9 p.m. on Friday, March 7, to 6 a.m. on Monday, March 10. During these days, no vehicles roll through this section in either direction. Crews work around the clock to demolish bridges, haul away debris, and prep for the next phase. Just two weeks later, the second closure strikes from 9 p.m. on Friday, March 21, to 6 a.m. on Monday, March 24. This timing repeats the pattern, giving workers another full weekend to tackle the heavy lifting.
These dates matter because they disrupt a key route to Heathrow and Gatwick, not to mention local travel plans. National Highways calls this the “final block” of M25 closures for this project, hinting that the worst might soon be over. Still, the short-term pain promises to test drivers’ patience, especially with big events looming.
What’s Happening During the Closures?
Wondering what justifies shutting down a motorway for entire weekends? The answer lies in the scale of the work. Crews focus on demolishing old bridges that span the M25 between Junctions 10 and 11. These aging structures can’t handle the upgrades, so they come down to make room for modern replacements. Massive cranes, some weighing up to 650 tons, lift heavy beams and clear rubble, while teams reshape the road below.
Beyond the demolition, workers squeeze in extra tasks to maximize the downtime. They remove old signs from overhead gantries, tweak landscaping, and fine-tune the junction’s layout. This multi-tasking speeds up the project, but it requires a complete shutdown—no half-measures work here. Jonathan Wade, a senior project manager at National Highways, explains that this scale of improvement simply can’t happen without some chaos. For drivers, that means planning ahead or facing gridlock.
Diversion Routes: How to Get Around
When the M25 closures, National Highways rolled out official diversion routes to keep traffic moving—sort of. For the March closures, the detours stick to A-roads, avoiding the temptation to clog smaller streets. If you travel clockwise from Junction 10 to 11, the route takes you from the M25 at Junction 10 onto the A3 northbound. From there, you hit the A245 at Painshill, then the A320, before rejoining the M25 at Junction 11.
Going the other way—anticlockwise from Junction 11 to 10—starts at Junction 11. You follow the A320 southbound, swing onto the A245 at Painshill, then take the A3 southbound back to Junction 10. These paths sound simple, but expect delays as thousands of drivers funnel through them. National Highways warns against trusting satnavs, which might send you down narrow backroads and into worse jams. Stick to the signposted routes for the best shot at sanity.
For a longer but possibly quicker option, consider swinging around via the Dartford Crossing. This detour skips the closure zone entirely, though it adds miles to your trip. With diversions in place, roads near the M25, like the A3 and A245, brace for heavy congestion, so patience becomes your best friend.
Traffic Trouble: Expect the Worst
Past closures prove one thing—traffic turns ugly fast when the M25 shuts down. During a shutdown last year, delays stretched hours, with tailbacks clogging routes across south west London. March 2025 promises more of the same, especially with the second closure overlapping a major event. On Friday, March 21, England plays Albania in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley, drawing crowds from Sussex, Kent, and beyond. Diversion routes near the stadium likely choke under the extra pressure.
The RAC predicts “really lengthy tailbacks” during these eight days of closures. Alice Simpson, an RAC spokesperson, urges drivers to set off early, especially for that Wembley match. Public transport fills up too, so don’t count on trains or buses to save you. National Highways echoes this, beginning drivers to travel only if absolutely necessary. If you must hit the road, pack extra fuel or charge for electric vehicles—idling in traffic burns through reserves fast.
FAQs
Why does National Highways close the M25 for entire weekends instead of just overnight?
National Highways shuts down the M25 for full weekends because the work demands it. Demolishing bridges and reshaping junctions take heavy equipment and long hours—tasks too big for quick overnight fixes. Crews need uninterrupted time to lift massive beams, clear debris, and ensure safety, which a few hours at night can’t cover. This approach speeds up the project and limits how often they disrupt traffic over months.
What happens if I ignore the diversion routes and follow my satnav instead?
If you ditch the official diversions for your satnav, you risk big trouble. Satnavs often pick narrow backroads to save time, but during closures, thousands of drivers clog those same shortcuts. Last year, villages near the A3 saw gridlock when people ignored signs, stranding cars for hours. Stick to the signposted A-road detours—National Highways designs them to handle the volume and keep you moving.
How do the March closures affect travel to Heathrow and Gatwick airports?
The March closures between Junctions 10 and 11 hit a key route to Heathrow and Gatwick, so expect delays. Diversions via the A3 and A245 get busy fast, slowing trips to both airports. British Airways warns passengers to leave extra time—hours, not minutes—to make flights. If you’re flying out, start early or consider the Dartford Crossing detour to bypass the mess entirely.
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