Nineteen closures are planned on the M25 over the coming days, National Highways has announced, with full carriageway closures, slip roads and motorway connections all affected between Friday 13 and Monday 16 November.
The closures will impact both clockwise and anti-clockwise journeys. High-traffic areas such as the M25 near Heathrow Airport, the Dartford Crossing approach, and junctions connecting the motorway with the M20, M40 and M1 will face restrictions.
Most of the closures will occur overnight, starting between 10pm and 11pm, although some will commence earlier. Motorists travelling late at night or early in the morning are advised to check their routes before setting off.
Key facts
- When: Friday 13 November to Monday 16 November, with some closures running into Tuesday 17 November
- How many: 19 planned closures in total — 6 on Friday night, 1 on Saturday night, 2 on Sunday evening, and 10 on Monday night
- What: Full carriageway closures, entry and exit slip roads, and motorway link roads
- Worst affected: Sections near Heathrow, the Dartford Crossing, and junctions with the M20, M40, M1 and A12
- Advice: Allow additional time and follow signed diversion routes
Friday night — six closures
Six closures are scheduled for Friday night, with most starting at 11pm and continuing into Saturday morning.
This includes the full carriageway closure of the M25 clockwise from junctions 28 to 29 and anticlockwise from junctions 17 to 16. The anticlockwise route from junctions 3 to 2 and the clockwise route from junctions 14 to 15 will also be closed.
The M25 junction 30 clockwise entry slip road and the anticlockwise junction 25 entry slip road will also face closure. Drivers headed towards Heathrow, Essex and Kent should prepare to use alternative routes.
Saturday night — one closure
Saturday night will see one planned closure. The M25 clockwise junction 31 entry slip road near Thurrock will be closed from 10pm until 5.30am on Sunday, November 15.
Sunday evening — two closures
Two overnight closures are scheduled for Sunday evening, continuing into Monday morning.
The M25 clockwise junction 31 entry slip road will close at 10.30pm, reopening at 5.30am on Monday, November 16. The section of the motorway near the M1 interchange in Hertfordshire, from junctions 21 to 21A, will also face closure.
Monday night — ten closures
Monday night will see the most planned closures, with 10 separate restrictions scheduled.
This includes a full clockwise carriageway closure from junctions 28 to 29, and an anticlockwise closure from junctions 27 to 25. The clockwise junction 28 exit slip road to the A12 northbound will be closed from 9pm until 5am on Tuesday, November 17.
The anti-clockwise junction 15 carriageway will be closed between the exit and entry slip roads, along with the anticlockwise junctions 20 to 18. The link road from the M25 clockwise junction 16 to the M40 eastbound junction 1A will also be shut.
The clockwise junction 6 exit slip road, the clockwise junction 25 up-and-over carriageway, and the anticlockwise junction 4 entry slip road will all face closures. Lastly, the M25 clockwise junctions 13 to 14 will be fully closed from 10pm until 5.30am.
Check before you travel
National Highways regularly updates its planned road closure information, with restrictions subject to change depending on weather conditions and operational requirements. Drivers travelling overnight are advised to allow additional time and follow signed diversion routes where closures are in place.
Motorists should also be aware that some restrictions may affect slip roads rather than the main motorway carriageway. The latest information can be found through the National Highways daily road closures page, and drivers can also check live traffic conditions before beginning their journeys.
The M25 has already faced a difficult day today, with a lorry fire and four crashes causing rush-hour delays across the orbital motorway. Research published last month also showed the junctions near Heathrow are among the slowest on the M25 at peak times.
