Drivers ‘choosing to ignore’ official diversion route around M25 closure, say highways bosses | UK News
A seven-mile stretch of the M25 between junctions 9 and 10 is ready to stay closed till 6am on Monday, nonetheless National Highways say they’re making “good progress” on the work.
By James Robinson, News reporter @thejournojames
An “increasing number” of drivers are “choosing to ignore” the official diversion route around the M25 closure, highways bosses have warned.
National Highways say they’re making “good progress” to set up a brand new gantry and a brand new gyratory bridge between junctions 9 and 10 of the motorway.
The seven-mile stretch, by way of Surrey, closed at 9pm on Friday and is due to reopen at 6am on Monday, whereas the work takes place.
A deliberate 19-mile diversion route, which sends autos by way of elements of Surrey and Greater London, is in place in the course of the closure.
However, National Highways say some drivers should not sticking to the route and are as an alternative following one other route specified for freight autos.
Simon Elliott, National Highways senior venture supervisor, stated: “It is important that drivers follow the diversion route in place.”
The official clockwise route for non-freight autos entails drivers coming off at junction 8, earlier than travelling alongside the A217, the A240, the A24, and the A3, earlier than rejoining the M25 at junction 10.
Freight autos ought to proceed on to junction 9 and journey in the direction of Chessington on the A243 after which again in the direction of junction 10 by way of the A307.
However, Mr Elliott stated non-freight drivers had been additionally utilizing this route.
“Coming off at junction 9 means non-freight drivers will end up travelling behind or alongside HGVs which is something we are actively trying to avoid and is likely to have a negative impact on travel times, congestion and the communities they pass through,” he stated.
This weekend’s closure is the second of 5 deliberate closures of the motorway, and comes after a bit between junctions 10 and 11 was shut in March.
On that event, fears diversion routes would grow to be overwhelmed proved unfounded, as visitors ranges had been greater than two-thirds decrease than regular after a widespread consciousness marketing campaign.
National Highways say this weekend’s closure is to permit for the set up of a brand new bridge between junction 9 and junction 10.
Read extra:
Everything you want to know forward of the M25 closing
Aerial photos present calm amid M25 gridlock fears
The earlier closure was to permit for the demolition of Clearmount bridleway bridge between junction 10 and junction 11 and the set up of a giant gantry.
Three extra weekend closures of the M25 are set to happen between August and the top of the yr.
