M25 closure: Tips on driving as major delays expected this weekend
The M25 motorway will be closed in both directions this weekend, starting tonight (Friday), prompting concerns that thousands of drivers will be stuck in gridlocked traffic.
The five-mile stretch of the motorway between Junctions 10 and 11 in Surrey will be closed in both directions from 9pm today (Friday, 15 March) until 6am on Monday while a bridge is demolished and a new gantry is installed.
It will be the first planned daytime closure of the M25 – which runs around the periphery of London – since it opened in 1986. The motorway normally carries 4,000 - 6,000 vehicles in each direction every hour from 10am until 9pm at weekends between Junctions 9 and 11.
National Highways, which has put a diversion in place, said modelling indicated vehicles would face delays of up to five hours without mitigation measures but it believes its awareness campaign will help reduce traffic levels by around 50%, limiting the length of time added to journeys to around an hour.
However, experts warned that official estimates may be “optimistic”, with one saying the closure would: “feel like a new level of hell”, while local councillors in areas where traffic will be diverted are anticipating “gridlock”.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for The AA, said: “Roadworks are a necessary evil, but the full closure on this section of the M25 will feel like a new level of hell."
Edmund King, AA president, added: “The M25 is the biggest bypass in Europe so any closure will potentially cause chaos. Hopefully, drivers will have heard the messages about the closure in advance and been able to adjust their plans accordingly, either by avoiding the area entirely, not driving or by choosing alternative routes.” He said long delays caused by the closure could lead to more frustration for motorists.
Advice on how to avoid getting frustrated
King, said closing such a busy stretch of motorway for an entire weekend would have “a significant impact on drivers and could create real issues, and lengthy delays”, if they had not heard about the closure in advance, adding: “We do not believe the closure should lead to more breakdowns but may lead to more frustration”.
The RAC advises frustrated motorists at risk of getting road rage to take various steps to “keep their cool”.
These include:-
Giving yourself time: The RAC suggests setting off earlier - and in this case that might be quite significantly earlier.
Planning your route: Another tip particularly important this weekend given diversions. In this case, National Highways has urged drivers not to use their sat navs to try to find quicker alternative routes on minor roads due to fears this could cause major congestion. Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, told the PA news agency: “We must hope National Highways has overstated its dire predictions of sat navs adding to the traffic chaos by taking drivers off the official diversion route, because the temptation to try to skip the queues will be intense, and the impact on actual journey times uncertain."
Be understanding: The RAC urges people to "take a deep breath and move on" if someone makes a mistake, adding: "Getting angry isn’t going to change what’s already happened."
Let things go: According to the RAC's advice: "It might be tempting to retaliate if another driver does something you find annoying, but you never know how someone else is going to react so don’t put yourself in unnecessary risk by reacting badly."
Tips for driving in heavy traffic
The AA's number one tip for dealing with heavy traffic is "to avoid it where possible". However, it does include advice and tips for driving in heavy traffic.
Key advice includes:-
Keep a safe distance from other vehicles is always recommended, according to the AA, but doubly so in heavy traffic. It urges people to leave plenty of room to help increase visibility, especially as vehicles are more likely to brake sharply in heavy traffic.
Practice defensive driving. The AA says considering the actions of other road users will keep you alert and prepared, so encourages people to take things slow and steady and "be ready for other road users to act unexpectedly". It also urges motorists to keep checking your mirrors and keep an eye on blind spots, as well as anticipating other road users’ actions.
Journey planning is another tip the AA recommends - essentially avoiding heavy traffic if possible. this means planning in advance - using real-time apps where possible. Although this weekend experts have urged people not to use satnavs but to stick to recommended diversions.
