This weekend marks the first-ever planned daytime closure of the M25. The situation could become a 'nightmare'.Local residents and businesses are bracing themselves for heavy traffic, expecting a 'carmageddon'.
A five-mile section of the motorway between junctions 10 and 11 is currently closed in both directions and won't reopen until 6am on Monday. Motorists must take an 11.5-mile diversion route along A-roads. During this time, a bridge will be demolished and a new gantry will be installed.
Drivers are being directed to take a longer route on A-roads, sparking concerns about roads becoming completely gridlocked as thousands of vehicles are diverted through. Residents near the area have cancelled plans and stocked up on groceries in anticipation of the chaos. Byfleet councillor Daryl Jordan expressed expectations of 'absolute gridlock'. People living near the affected roads have already cancelled plans and stocked up on groceries, fearing that roads will be completely gridlocked as thousands of cars are redirected through.
Residents near the route have already cancelled plans and stocked up on groceries ahead of the expected chaos. Byfleet councillor Daryl Jordan anticipates 'absolute gridlock'.
Councillor Jordan, of Woking Borough Council, noted that the Byfleet Road near junction 10 was heavily congested on Friday afternoon, and residents will be significantly impacted.
The councillor commented, 'It is creating significant inconvenience for people.'
'For example, if you work full-time and plan to restock your fridge after work, you may not even be able to get into your own village,
'This is going to be a very challenging situation.
Even going down the road to buy milk or pick up dry cleaning will be difficult tomorrow'.
The South East Coast Ambulance Service, which covers Surrey, has urged drivers to allow ambulances through the expected heavy traffic in some areas.
A spokesperson stated, 'We ask for the public's support and advise drivers to avoid the area unless necessary.
We also urge them to be mindful of any emergency vehicles trying to navigate through heavy traffic.'
Edmund King, the president of the AA, expressed concerns, saying that any closure of the M25 could potentially lead to chaos and gridlock across the surrounding road network.
King warned, 'If drivers don't heed warnings to stay away, we could see 'carmageddon' on roads adjacent to the M25.'
Jonathan Wade, project leader at National Highways, urged motorists to simply stay at home.
Wade advised, 'If possible, avoid traveling altogether, find a home-based activity, or use alternative modes of transportation.
If you must go out, consider taking the train, walking, or using a bicycle. I don't mind what you choose to do.
Avoid driving on diversionary routes around Painshill, Byfleet, and West Byfleet on the eastern side of Woking. It would be in your best interests.
Business owners in the areas near the alternative route have talked about reducing the services they provide in expectation of traffic.
Mark Pollak, who owns Billy Tong, a business that caters events and sells biltong at markets, said he believes that the company will lose half of its weekend income.
He mentioned turning down a request to cater at an event in Guildford and canceling the stall at Surbiton Farmers’ Market on Saturday because the staff were reluctant to face the expected traffic for work.
‘It has a significant impact on my business,’ he stated.
‘I’ve cancelled events, can’t attract customers to come and collect goods, and can't get my staff to attend events.’
Ammara Kanwal, director of Code Kids, called off a coding club session scheduled at Cobham Free School on Saturday due to concerns about arriving on time.
‘It was a bit disappointing,’ she remarked.
‘I am the one who cancelled, it was my business, so I am having to issue a refund for tomorrow.
‘I mean, nobody wants to travel somewhere for two hours if it doesn’t take that long, it’s not fair.’
The M25 normally has between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles in each direction every hour from 10am to 9pm on weekends between junctions nine and 11.
This includes many airline passengers traveling to, from, and between the UK’s two busiest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick.
National Highways said modeling carried out during the planning indicated that vehicles could experience up to five-hour delays without measures to reduce them, such as encouraging drivers to stay away.
The Government-owned company believes its advertising campaign will help cut traffic levels by about 50%, so the added time to journeys will be limited to around an hour.
It is advising drivers not to use their GPS devices to look for faster routes on smaller roads because this could lead to major congestion.
Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: ‘We must hope National Highways has overstated its dire predictions of GPS devices worsening traffic congestion by diverting drivers from the official alternative route, because the temptation to try to skip the queues will be intense, and the impact on actual journey times uncertain.
‘While the modeling suggests around an hour might be added to people’s travel time, that will seem optimistic to anyone used to the frustrations of driving around the M25 on days even without major construction works underway.’
Four more daytime closures of the M25 will take place up to September.
The project, slated for completion in summer 2025, will increase the number of lanes at junction 10, one of the UK’s busiest and most dangerous motorway junctions.
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