M25 closure: Map shows diversion route for closure between junction 10 and 11
Drivers are being warned of massive delays as the M25 shuts in both directions this weekend in an unprecedented move.
The closure between junctions 10 and 11 in Surrey on the UK’s busiest motorway could cause chaos.
Daryl Jordan, of Woking Borough Council, said Byfleet Road, which is close to junction 10, had been “chock-a-block” on Friday afternoon.
“It is pulling people apart,” he added.
“When you work full-time and then you’re going to get home tonight from work thinking ‘I must fill the fridge up’ and you can’t even get into your own village. It’s going to be a nightmare.”
But, how long will the section be shut, where are the diversion routes and why is it happening? Here’s everything you need to know.
When is the closure and how long will it last?
The closure started at 9pm on Friday 15 March and the section will be shut until 6am on Monday 18 March, covering the five-mile stretch between junction 10 and 11.
What is the diversion route?
Here’s the diversion route that’s been outlined by National Highways, which maintains England’s motorways:
- Junction 10 to junction 11: Northbound A3 to Painshill Junction, A245 towards Woking, and then A320 to M25 junction 11
- Junction 11 to junction 10: A320 south towards Woking, A245 towards Byfleet and Painshill junction, Southbound A3 to junction 10.
You can see it on the map below:
Map showing the M25 closure and the diversion route
And here are some Google Maps screenshots showing roads that are part of the diversion route:
M25 junction 10 towards A3 northbound
A3 northbound towards Painshill Junction
A245 towards Woking
A320 towards M25 junction 11
A320 towards M25 junction 11
Satnav warnings
Drivers are being urged to ignore satnavs and only follow official diversion routes to prevent causing gridlock during an “unprecedented” closure.
Jonathan Wade, National Highways project lead, said the amount of disruption will partly depend on whether drivers stick to official diversions.
“How many people are going to take the initiative and try and use satnavs?”, he told PA news agency.
“There’s probably a greater risk of congestion by people just doing their own thing and thinking they can perhaps beat the signs and find a shorter or quicker route.
“That will cause further congestion on some of the key junctions so please avoid doing that if at all possible.”
National Highways senior project manager Daniel Kittredge said: “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.”
How bad could it be?
It’s the first scheduled daytime all-lanes shutdown on the M25 since it opened, so it’s not yet known exactly how bad delays are going to be.
This section of the M25 normally carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles in each direction per hour from 10am until 9pm at weekends, so the disruption caused by the works is expected to be significant.
More than 200,000 vehicles are expected to be affected, including many travelling in and out of London, and to and from Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Channel ports.
What advice has been issued?
“Drivers should only use the M25 if their journey is absolutely necessary,” says Jonathan Wade, National Highways project lead.
“This is the first of five full closures of one of the busiest junctions on our road network,” he adds.
“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.”
‘Motorists should decorate the bathroom’
The government-owned company’s chief also advises motorists to find something to do at home like “decorate the bathroom” or “play in the garden” ahead of the closure.
Mr Wade says how well the area copes with the closure will partly depend on whether drivers stick to official diversions – but urges people to avoid travelling altogether.
“Avoid the area totally if you can,” he told The Independent’s daily travel podcast.
“Either avoid travelling completely or find something to do at home, decorate the bathroom or something, I don’t know, or play in the garden.
“If you must go, travel by train, walk, use your bicycle.
“If you can, avoid driving anywhere around those diversionary routes.”
Airport warnings
People due to travel to Gatwick and Heathrow could also be affected by the closure.
Heathrow Airport is advising passengers planning to use this part of the M25 to allow for extra time before their flight.
“Passengers using public transport should also be aware that The Airline (between Heathrow and Gatwick) and RailAir (RA2), will be running amended timetables over this weekend, please check with your operator for the latest information,” their statement adds.
A London Gatwick Airport spokesperson told Sky News: “Passengers driving to the airport are advised to check diversion routes before they travel and allow extra time for potential delays.
“Gatwick’s train station is well connected and is a great alternative option for people travelling to the airport this weekend.”
‘You ain’t seen nothing yet’
Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, says: “For drivers who’ve already had their patience tried by the queues at the junction 10 works, the phrase ‘you ain’t seen nothing yet’ springs to mind.”
“National Highways’ plea for people to avoid driving in the area applies not just to trips on the M25, but also to those on surrounding local roads onto which the M25 traffic will be diverted,” he adds.
“The hope must be that drivers take great care, however frustrating the delays and disruption might be.
“The last thing we need is shunts or crashes, however minor, because the slightest mishap will compound the misery.”
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Why is it happening?
Government-owned company National Highways said the action is necessary to enable a bridge to be demolished and a new gantry to be installed as part of a £317m improvement project.
National Highways says the project will increase the number of lanes and make it easier to enter and exit the M25 at junction 10, which is one of the UK’s busiest and most dangerous motorway junctions.
“These improvements will bring long-term benefits to drivers who pass through this stretch of the M25, not to mention pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders who will also see positive changes in the area,” says its project lead Jonathan Wade.
Is the closure a one-off?
No – it’s just one of five planned full closures between the junctions. The other dates have not yet been confirmed.
“Three of those closures will be between junctions 10 and 11 – the A320 at Chertsey… and two of them will be between junction 9 at Leatherhead to junction 10 at Wisley,” Mr Wade said.
He said the dates of the later stages would be released in due course with motorists given plenty of notice.
“We will not just spring them on people,” he said, adding they would take place between May and December.
The project began in summer 2022 and is expected to last three years in total.
Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate have been charged with rape and other offences in the UK.
Andrew Tate, 38, faces 10 charges, including rape, actual bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain, relating to three women.
His brother Tristan Tate, 36, faces 11 charges relating to one woman – including rape, actual bodily harm and human trafficking.
The charges were authorised in January 2024, but full details have only been released now.
Bedfordshire Police issued an international arrest warrant for the brothers over allegations, which they “unequivocally deny”, said to have occurred between 2012 and 2015.
The Tate brothers are facing separate allegations of trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering in Romania.
They are also accused of human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women in a different case, which has been sent back to prosecutors.
They are due to be extradited to the UK following the conclusion of proceedings in Romania.
Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan outside a Bucharest court in January. File pic: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea via Reuters
A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we have authorised charges against Andrew and Tristan Tate for offences including rape, human trafficking, controlling prostitution and actual bodily harm against three women.
“These charging decisions followed receipt of a file of evidence from Bedfordshire Police.
“A European Arrest Warrant was issued in England in 2024, and as a result the Romanian courts ordered the extradition to the UK of Andrew and Tristan Tate.”
The spokesperson added: “However, the domestic criminal matters in Romania must be settled first.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active, and the defendants have the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
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Representatives for Andrew Tate have been contacted by Sky News for comment.
Lawyer Matt Jury, of McCue Jury & Partners, representing several alleged British victims of Andrew Tate, said: “We welcome the clarity from the Crown Prosecution Service that our authorities are working to ensure the Tates face justice here in the UK – they cannot be allowed to escape extradition.
“At the same time, we ask once more that CPS admit its mistake in failing to prosecute Tate when he lived in the UK and finally charge him for the rape and assault of the other three women, our clients, who originally filed criminal complaints against him as long ago as 2014 but were failed by the system.
“They deserve justice, too.”
The allegations were subject to a police investigation, which was closed in 2019.
Merseyside Police has been given more time to question a 53-year-old man arrested over the Liverpool parade collision.
The suspect is being held on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving after a car was driven into a crowd at Liverpool FC’s victory parade on Monday.
Police have said the extra time they have been given to question the suspect runs into Thursday.
The force believes the vehicle which struck pedestrians on Water Street had followed an ambulance crew that was attending to someone suffering a heart attack, after a road block was temporarily lifted.
Earlier, new footage emerged showing a car being driven into the crowd as panicked fans watched in horror and tried to avoid being hit.
The CCTV footage showed supporters attempting to move out of the way as the vehicle ploughed into supporters.
Cries could be heard from the crowd – before police and members of the public chased after the car.
In an update on Wednesday, Merseyside Police said it was in contact with 79 people who were injured in the crash – an increase on the 65 people who were confirmed injured in the force’s previous update.
Seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition following the collision, the force added.
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Moment car drives into crowds in Liverpool
Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson said: “I’m pleased to say that the number of people in hospital is reducing as they continue to recover from the awful incident.
“We continue to support those still receiving treatment and as part of our ongoing enquiries we are identifying more people who were injured.
“I want to reassure the public of Merseyside that detectives are making significant progress as we seek to establish the full circumstances that led to what happened.”
Water Street where the collision happened has reopened. Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
DS Wilson said that “extensive CCTV enquiries” were being carried out across Liverpool to “establish the movements of the car, a Ford Galaxy, before the incident took place”.
She added: “We have already had an incredible response from many of those who were there on the day, and I thank them for their co-operation with our investigation.
“I would encourage anyone who has not yet contacted police who may have information on this incident to do so.
“An extensive investigation into the precise circumstances of the incident is ongoing, and we continue to ask people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the incident and refrain from sharing distressing content online.”
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Emergency service on Water Street after the collision. Pic: Reuters
It comes after Water Street was reopened to vehicles and pedestrians on Wednesday after the police cordon was lifted.
Street cleaning teams worked overnight to clear the road, which had been littered with bottles, cans and football scarves and flags.
One remaining Liverpool flag was removed from the top of a set of traffic lights by a worker wearing hi-vis.
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On Tuesday night, Liverpool manager Arne Slot decided not to attend the League Managers Association’s annual awards ceremony “in solidarity with those affected by the incident on Monday”.
Meanwhile, speaking at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said the collision on Water Street “showed the two faces of life”.
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Klopp sends ‘thoughts and prayers’ to victims
He said: “The most beautiful face for a long, long time: the parade was incredible, the mood was incredible and from one second to another everything changed and we learned again there are more serious things in the world than football.
“Thoughts and prayers go to the injured people and their families as well.
“It should have been one of the greatest days in the history of the city, after a long, long time, because we didn’t have the opportunity to do it last time. I don’t know how and why it happened but we know what happened and that’s very bad.”
The heartbroken mother of a Scottish teenager who vanished three weeks ago has told Sky News she fears he could have been “picked up in a car”.
Cole Cooper, 19, was last seen by an old school friend on Wednesday 7 May in the village of Longcroft near Falkirk.
Prior to that, he was captured on CCTV a few days earlier after leaving a house party in the area.
His mum, Wendy Stewart, 42, allowed Sky News into her home as she revealed the pain her family is enduring.
Cole’s mother Wendy Stewart (L) and his aunt Aimee Tennie
Wiping away tears, Ms Stewart said: “I don’t know what’s happened. He has not been seen. Is it a possibility he has been picked up by a car?
“I don’t want to start speculating but I just want answers. Somebody please come and tell us.”
She added: “It’s total heartache. It’s just so surreal. Is this actually happening? I have been wanting to wake up and it’s just been a big nightmare.”
Pic: Police Scotland
Cole’s family say the joinery apprentice recently started up his own fencing and decking business, which was thriving.
His aunt Aimee Tennie who has arranged community searches and erected missing posters, has said he is a popular young man who enjoys karaoke.
The 32-year-old told Sky News: “He is well liked. He is well respected. He is a lovely boy. If he is out there, we want you to come home.
“We want answers. We miss you. We love you.”
Pic: Police Scotland
Pic: Family handout
Police Scotland said more than 220 properties have been visited and more than 1,000 hours of CCTV footage collected as part of the force’s efforts to find the teenager.
Specialist resources from across the country have been mobilised to help, including the police helicopter and drones from the air support unit, as well as officers from the dive and marine unit.
Ms Stewart said she would not lose hope of finding her son.
She said: “I am still praying that we get the outcome that we want which is Cole to come back home with us and to make more happy memories.”
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Cole was reported missing on Friday 9 May.
Police said he was earlier captured on CCTV in the Longcroft area at about 6am on Sunday 4 May.
The last confirmed sighting was at 8.45pm on the A803 at its intersection with Cumbernauld Road, Longcroft, on Wednesday 7 May.
Police Scotland said an incident and welfare support unit will remain in the area while extensive searches and door-to-door enquiries continue.
An online portal has also been set up to allow members of the public to submit information directly to the investigating officers.
Cole – who has links to the Denny, Cumbernauld and Paisley areas – has been described as around 5ft 10in, of medium build, with short brown hair.
He was last seen wearing a black puffer-style jacket with black jogging bottoms.
Chief Inspector Alex Hatrick said there was “a lot of work going on behind the scenes” to find the teenager.
He added: “While this may not be as visible, please be assured we are working tirelessly to find Cole.”
Speaking to Sky News, the police chief said there had been no evidence of criminality.
“This is very much a missing person enquiry,” he added.
“There’s no information to suggest that Cole’s come to any harm at this time. Our focus is very much on tracing Cole safe and well.”
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