‘Good progress’ on works forcing first ever closure of M25, claims National Highways
“Good progress” has been made on the M25 in Surrey, where engineers are bringing down a bridge during the motorway’s first ever planned daytime closure.
A five-mile stretch between junctions 10 and 11 has been shut in both directions since 9pm on Friday and won’t reopen until 6am on Monday, if works finish on time.
Concerns have been raised that thousands will be held up in gridlocked traffic, despite National Highways highlighting a diversion route.
Congestion stretched for two miles on Saturday morning, according to National Highways South-East (NHSE), which estimated the average journey time through its new route was 25 minutes.
“We made good progress during the first night of the M25 J10 to J11 weekend closure,” NHSE posted on X at 9.05pm on Saturday.
“We will again work throughout the night to continue the demolition and gantry installations. There are minimal delays in the area at this time.”
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A section of the M25 is closed while a bridge is demolished. Pic: PA
The closure is in place so the Clearmount bridge can be demolished to make way for motorway improvements, with engineers slowly chipping away at the concrete and steel structure.
But now work has begun, they cannot stop – and with no plan B, the M25 would simply remain shut for longer if the job is not completed by Monday morning.
It is the first planned daytime closure of the motorway – which encircles London – since it opened in 1986.
The diversion route, which spans 11.5 miles, was created to direct motorway traffic along A roads.
A map showing the M25 closure and the diversion route
The diversion takes drivers through A roads. Pic: PA
Bracing for increased traffic, some business owners revealed they scaled back their services while the closure is in place.
Among those is owner of caterer Billy Tong, Mark Pollak, who said on Friday he expects to see 50% of the firm’s turnover for the weekend go “down the drain”.
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The M25 normally carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles in each direction every hour from 10am until 9pm at weekends between junctions nine and 11.
This includes many airline passengers travelling to and from the UK’s two busiest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick.
Four more daytime closures of the M25 will take place up to September.
The chancellor and foreign secretary are threatening to take Roman Abramovich to court to seize the proceeds of his Chelsea FC sale.
The Russian oligarch, who is sanctioned by the UK government over his alleged links to Vladimir Putin, sold Chelsea for £2.5bn to an American consortium in 2022, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Those funds remain in a frozen UK bank account but are meant to be used for humanitarian causes linked to the Ukraine war.
Abramovich has denied close ties to Vladimir Putin. File pic: Reuters
Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy have now said they are “deeply frustrated” an agreement cannot be reached with the oligarch and will take him to court if it cannot be dealt with soon.
In a joint statement, they said: “The government is determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine, following Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion.
“We are deeply frustrated that it has not been possible to reach agreement on this with Mr Abramovich so far.
“While the door for negotiations will remain open, we are fully prepared to pursue this through the courts if required, to ensure people suffering in Ukraine can benefit from these proceeds as soon as possible.”
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Rachel Reeves said she was ‘deeply frustrated’ an agreement had not been reached by Roman Abramovich
Abramovich was forced to sell Chelsea – which he bought for a reported £140m – after 19 years of ownership, after being sanctioned by the government over his alleged close ties to the Russian president – something he denies.
The sale was made under the supervision of the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, under the proviso the proceeds go to humanitarian aid in Ukraine.
They cannot be moved or used without a licence from the office.
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Ukraine targets Russian military aircraft
In March, the Foreign Office said officials were in talks with Abramovich’s representatives, but multiple sources told the BBC there had been no meetings between any Labour ministers and members of the foundation set up to oversee the funds since last July’s general election.
They said there was a deadlock and a political decision by a minister is needed to negotiate and sign off an agreement.
It is not known if there have been meetings in the three months since then.
The £2.5bn – and interest accrued – would make up for some of the reduction in the aid budget, announced in February.
Human remains have been found as part of an investigation into the disappearance of a Polish woman 15 years ago.
Izabela Zablocka was living in the Normanton area of Derby but lost contact with her family in August 2010, when she was 30, and has never been found.
However, new information came to light last week and a murder investigation was launched.
Derbyshire Police said remains believed to belong to Ms Zablocka had now been discovered in the garden of a property on Princes Street in Normanton.
A 39-year-old woman who was arrested on suspicion of murder was re-arrested on Monday.
Two other women, aged 39 and 43, and a 41-year-old man arrested last week remain on bail.
Ms Zablocka moved to the UK in 2009 but disappeared the following year. Pic: PA
Detective Inspector Kane Martin said formal identification hadn’t yet taken place but it’s believed the remains belong to Ms Zablocka.
“As such, we have spoken with Izabela’s family in Poland, and they are aware. Our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time,” he said.
“Identification of the remains is likely to be a lengthy process, but we will issue updates when we are able.”
Police will remain at the address for now as they try to gather more evidence on Ms Zablocka’s death.
A £20,000 reward is being offered until 27 August for information that leads to a conviction. Anyone who wants to get in touch is urged to contact the Crimestoppers charity.
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DI Martin added: “We know that someone out there will have information about Izabela that may help us understand what happened to her, and urge anyone who saw, spoke to, or heard anything about Izabela in July or August 2010 to come forward.
“You may hold the key piece of information that we need to understand the full circumstances of Izabela’s disappearance, and to give her family answers on what happened to their loved one.”
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