M25: National Highways chief advises motorists to ‘decorate the bathroom’ ahead of unprecedented closure

A National Highways chief has advised motorists to find something to do at home like "decorate the bathroom" or "play in the garden" ahead of an unprecedented closure of the M25 this weekend.

For the first time since its opening in 1986, part of the London Orbital Motorway will be shut for an entire weekend.

Drivers have been warned to stay away from a five-mile stretch of the motorway in Surrey between junctions 10 and 11, which will be shut in both directions from 9pm on Friday until 6am on Monday.

They have also been urged to ignore satnavs and stick to diversion routes if they do travel while the works take place.

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The National Highways said the action is necessary to enable a bridge to be demolished and a new gantry to be installed. The closure will be the first of five between now and September as part of a £317m project.

National Highways project lead Jonathan Wade said how well the area copes with the closure will partly depend on whether drivers stick to official diversions - but urged 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."

Mr Wade continued: "Secondly, we have planned a total of five complete closures of the M25, so this is the first of five.

"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."

He said the dates of the later stages would be released in due course with motorists given plenty of notice.

How will the closure affect motorists?

More than 200,000 vehicles are expected to be impacted. Between junctions 9 and 11, the M25 normally carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles in each direction per hour from 10am until 9pm on weekends.

The M25 between junctions 10 and 11 will be closed in both directions from 9pm on Friday March 15 to 6am Monday 18 March.

The following local diversion route will be in place:

• Junction 10 - Northbound A3 to Painshill Junction, A245 towards Woking, and then A320 to M25 Junction 11.

• Junction 11 - A320 south towards Woking, A245 towards Byfleet and Painshill junction, Southbound A3 to Junction 10.