Drivers are being warned to plan ahead this weekend as a section of the M25 will be closed for the last time as part of a £317 million upgrade project. From 9pm tonight until 5.30am on Monday, the M25 between junctions 10 (Wisley) and 11 (Chertsey) will be shut in both directions for the demolition of an old bridge. This disruption comes following Heathrow Airport closing today due to a nearby fire at an electrical substation leading to power outages that affected thousands of home and the airport, disrupting over 1,300 flights and about 200,000 passengers.

National Highways has urged drivers to think carefully about their travel plans, particularly as traffic has been heavier than expected during previous closures. National Highways Senior Project Manager, Jonathan Wade, said: “We are now on the home straight of this complex project and we are pleased to say this is the last time the M25 will be closed over a full weekend.”

Drivers travelling from junction 10 to junction 11 will need to exit the M25 at junction 10, join the A3 northbound, take the A245 at Painshill, then the A320, and drive back onto the M25 at junction 11.

For those going from junction 11 to junction 10, the diversion will involve exiting the M25 at junction 11, joining the A320 southbound, taking the A245 to Painshill, and then heading south on the A3 to rejoin the M25 at junction 10.

If you wish to avoid the closure altogether, using the Dartford Crossing may also be a quicker option.

The closure of the M25 between junctions 10 and 11 is particularly relevant for drivers heading to Gatwick Airport, as this section of the motorway is a key route for travelers heading south towards the airport.

If you’re travelling around Surrey between 21 and 24 March, National Highways advised to only use the motorway and surrounding roads if your journey is absolutely necessary, allow extra time and use alternative routes where possible and make sure you follow the official diversions, not information from your sat-nav.

There will be another closure of the A3 in both directions between Junction 10 and Painshill Roundabout from 9pm on Friday, April 11, until 6am on Monday, April 14.

The details of the closure and diversions will be announced closer to the date.