Closed M25 becomes unlikely tourist attraction

Question

The M25 has become an unlikely tourist attraction after the motorway closed for the weekend, leaving the road empty of cars.

A five-mile stretch of the motorway between junctions 10 and 11 was closed in both directions at 9pm on Friday and will remain inaccessible until 6am on Monday while a bridge is demolished and a new gantry installed. 

Sightseers have been congregating at the main diversion route to pose for selfies with the empty road. 

It is the first planned daytime closure of the motorway - which encircles London - since it opened in 1986. 

An 11.5-mile diversion route has been created to direct motorway traffic along A roads.




Fiona and Patrick Potter, residents of West Byfleet, take a selfie on the Parvis Road bridge in Byfleet, that crosses over a closed section of the M25 between Junctions 10 and 11





The M25 has become an unlikely tourist attraction after the motorway closed for the weekend, leaving the road empty of cars





A group of young boys look in awe at the empty motorway as what appears to be a roadworks van drives towards them





A roadworks van pootles along the empty M25 on Saturday afternoon 





Traffic is being diverted while work continues on the major junction which is being replaced over the weekend





Workers rush to finish demolishing a bridge across the M25





Traffic jams have built up for miles on the relief roads taking the brunt of diverted traffic

However, relief roads are now clogged for up to six miles, the Evening Standard reported.

Two miles of congestion was seen on the M25 in Surrey on Saturday morning after a section of it was closed.

Simon Vassallo has lived in the area for 35 years. He told The Independent that seeing the motorway empty was 'absolutely astonishing' and he 'just had to stop and take in the marvel'.

Another local told the paper 'it's quite extraordinary... I don't think we've ever seen anything quite like this'.

Concerns have been raised that thousands of drivers will be stuck in gridlocked traffic over the weekend during the unprecedented closure, with one councillor calling it a 'nightmare'.




Vehicles queue along the street going into Weybridge south-west of London on March 16





Some relief roads are now reportedly clogged for up to six miles because of the closure





Traffic builds up along a relief road for the closed M25 in Cobham, Surrey





The M25 is seeing its first total closure over a weekend since its opening in 1986

National Highways South East (NHSE), in a post to X, formerly Twitter, said there were two miles of tailbacks on approach to the closure at junction 10 on Saturday morning.

South East Ambulance Service have pleaded with motorists to make room for emergency service vehicles over the weekend. 

A spokesperson said: 'We ask for the public's support and Expeditionary adventure advise motorists to avoid the area unless their journey is essential.

'We also ask that, as ever, they are aware of any emergency vehicles looking to progress through any heavier traffic.'

Now a section of the M4 at Reading has been shut both ways due to a 'police incident' causing further chaos to the west of the capital.  




Long tailbacks are beginning to build up on the A320 as part of the diversion route avoiding the closed section of the M25 





An M25 diversion in Byfleet, near to a closed section of the M25 between Junctions 10 and 11





A huge operation is underway to unload vehicles carrying essential equipment for this weekend's work





There are currently two mile tailbacks with things expected to get worse over the coming hours





A bridge across the M25 has been demolished as workers try and complete the project before 6am on Monday 

Meanwhile, traffic began to build along the main diversion route through Byfleet, West Byfleet, Woking and Ottershaw.

NHSE estimated the average journey time along the diversion route was 25 minutes, assuring drivers of minimal congestion.

A five-mile stretch will remain shut until 6am on March 18 between Junctions 10 and 11, with vehicles diverted down an 11.5 miles route while the Clearmount bridge is demolished to make way for improvements to the road.

With drivers pushed out through neighbouring villages, the closure of the motorway is expected to cause congestion through affected areas southwest of London, including Ottershaw, Addletone and Wisley.

On an average weekend day, some 6,000 vehicles per hour - or 100 each minute - use the affected five-mile stretch between the two junctions.




Motorists are being funneled before reaching Junction 10 to get them off the motorway and onto the diversion route





Long delays are being reported as hundreds of drivers ignored warning to avoid the area





Cars queue up to leave the M25 at Junction 10 on Saturday afternoon near Cobham in Surrey





The motorway is expected to stay closed until Monday while Clearmount bridge is demolished (Pictured: J11 approach by Weybridge)





The M25 London Orbital Motorway will remain shut until Monday amid 'improvements' (Pictured: J11 approach by Weybridge)





Diversions are set up for people travelling on the busy road on Saturday, near Weybridge





The M25 is expected to stay shut until Monday - but could be closed longer if needed





Drivers are being directed down an 11.5 mile diversion route instead

National Highways has warned motorists to only travel 'if necessary' while the closures are in place.