M25 DRIVERS FACE MILES OF JAMS AS MOTORWAY CLOSES FOR FOUR DAYS
Motorists have been warned they face miles of traffic jams on the M25 as parts of the motorway close for the weekend - with drivers told to pack extra food and drink on their journey.
Britain's busiest motorway will be shut in both directions between junctions 9 and 10 in Surrey from 9pm on Friday until 6am on Monday while concrete beams for a new bridge are installed.
Diversion routes will take cars on a 19-mile journey on A roads, crossing from Surrey into London's Ulez area, although National Highways has assured drivers 'no enforcement action will be taken'.
However, the highways authority said anyone who ignores official diversion signs in an attempt to find shorter alternative routes will be liable for the £12.50 daily Ulez fee if their vehicle does not meet minimum emissions standards.
Failure to pay the charge when required can result in a £180 fine, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.
The RAC advised motorists to avoid travelling if possible and pack extra food and drink if they do, as the closures are likely to bring long delays for thousands of drivers.
Alice Simpson, RAC breakdown spokesperson, said: 'As this next M25 weekend closure immediately follows major national rail strikes which could see many more people take to the roads, it could be up to six days of disrupted travel for London's drivers.
'The closures also coincide with the retrofitting of new emergency areas on all-lane-running stretches of the M25, meaning delays are likely between junctions 5 and 7 in Surrey and Kent and junctions 23-27 in Hertfordshire and Essex.
'With weekend temperatures reaching 25 degrees or even higher, it's likely that routes around the 23-mile diversion will be busy as people make the most of the fine weather and jump in the car for day trips.
'Anyone heading to Chessington World of Adventures, which is close to the official A3 diversion route, should expect delays and pack extra food and drink in the event they're on the road longer than expected.'
She added: 'Holidaymakers heading to Gatwick or Heathrow should leave an hour earlier than usual and allow plenty of time for parking and security checks.'
The M25 closure is the second of five planned weekend closures which come as part of a £317 million project to improve Junction 10.
Saturday is predicted to see temperatures rise as high as 26C in parts of south-east England, including around London, in what would be the hottest day of the year.
Detours on the second M25 weekend closure were predicted to be nearly twice as long as for the first shutdown, officials revealed as drivers were warned to expect 'long delays'.
The closure between junction nine near Leatherhead and junction ten near Wisley will see motorists embark on a 19-mile diversion using the A3 and A243 via Epsom, Surbiton and Cobham – with taller vehicles including lorries taking a different route.
This is nearly double last month's 11.5-mile diversion during the first M25 closure on a different section of the road between junctions ten and 11 from March 15 to 18.
There had been fears of traffic 'carmageddon' on those diversion routes - but many motorists followed advice to avoid the area, meaning long hold-ups were avoided.
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