Good progress on M25 works, says highways agency

Roadworks on the M25 in Surrey are "progressing well" as the motorway remains shut in both directions between junctions nine and 10, National Highways has said.

The planned closure from the A243 Leatherhead to the A3 Wisley started at 21:00 BST on Friday and will be in place until 06:00 on Monday.

On Sunday, National Highways said on X, formerly Twitter, "work is progressing well" but urged drivers to follow official diversion routes.

At about 13:30 BST, Surrey Highways said there were major delays in West Byfleet along the Parvis Road.

It said there was also congestion in Leatherhead, Oxshott and surrounding areas, including Weybridge, Cobham and Walton On Thames.

The road is shut so a new bridge consisting of 68 beams, each weighing 16 tonnes, and a further four beams weighing 40 tonnes can be installed.

National Highways said on Saturday it was "all looking good" on the first full day of the weekend closure.

It said good progress had been made, with a number of beams that will form the new bridge having been lifted into place.

Four diversion routes are in place between Gatwick and Heathrow. Two in either direction for regular traffic and two for over-height vehicles.

National Highways had told drivers earlier to "continue to come to Surrey" as the impact of the M25 closure was expected to be "fairly limited to certain areas".

Surrey County Council said the diversion and roads around the closure had been busy on Saturday.

Diversion routes take cars on a 19-mile journey on A roads, crossing from Surrey into London's Ulez area, but National Highways has assured drivers "no enforcement action will be taken".

However, it warned people they could receive penalty charges under Ulez rules if they stray off official diversion routes over the weekend.

The highways agency said it had seen an increasing number of motorists on Saturday choosing to ignore the diversion route - starting at junction eight - and instead continuing on the motorway to the next junction.

The M25 works are part of a project to improve safety and reduce pollution.

A five-mile (8km) stretch of the M25 was shut in March between junctions 10 and 11 - it was the first time there had been a scheduled daytime shutdown of all lanes since the motorway opened in 1986.

The improvement scheme, which is part of a £317m upgrade to the motorway, will see an increase in the number of lanes to attempt to make journeys safer and a new junction layout to improve traffic flow.

Three more closures are planned before the end of 2024, with the next one organised for August.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, and on X. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.