Motorists traveling on the M25 near Chertsey, Surrey, face another weekend of disruption as Surrey County Council closes the clockwise exit slip road at Junction 11. The closure begins at 11 p.m. BST on Friday, October 9, and runs until 5 a.m. on Monday, October 12, 2026, allowing contractors to carry out essential drainage and utility installations.
The affected exit serves clockwise traffic traveling from Gatwick toward Heathrow. Because of the full closure, drivers cannot exit normally and must follow a planned diversion route agreed upon with National Highways.
Official Diversion Route for Motorists
Drivers caught out by the closure will need to navigate a multi-step detour to reach their intended destinations around Woking, Chertsey, and surrounding areas. The official diversion route outlined by Surrey County Council requires motorists to:
- Continue traveling on the M25 clockwise carriageway.
- Use M25 Junction 12 to join the M3 toward London.
- Leave the M3 at Junction 1, signposted for the A308 toward Staines, Kingston, and Sunbury.
- Turn around using the roundabout and join the M3 southbound toward the M25.
- At M3 Junction 2, join the M25 anticlockwise toward Gatwick and Woking.
- Finally, leave the M25 anticlockwise at Junction 11.
Council officials have warned that roads surrounding the M25 corridor and the designated diversion paths are expected to experience heavy congestion throughout the weekend. Motorists are strongly encouraged to check live traffic updates and factor extra time into their travel plans.
Scope of the M25 Junction 11 Improvement Project
This weekend’s closure forms part of a broader infrastructure investment scheme aimed at upgrading the A320 around Ottershaw and Chertsey. During the shutdown, the road surface will be excavated to lay new utility infrastructure and modern drainage systems beneath the tarmac.
Natalie Bramhall, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure, emphasized the long-term benefits of the disruption. “This important upgrade to the M25 Junction 11 will increase capacity and improve traffic flows, particularly at peak times,” Bramhall stated. “We appreciate that these works will inconvenience people who use this junction, so thank them in advance for their patience.”
The extensive works at Junction 11 involve several key enhancements, including:
- Widening both northbound and southbound exit slip roads to create dedicated left-turn lanes.
- Enlarging the main roundabout to handle higher vehicle volumes.
- Completely resurfacing the junction roadways.
- Upgrading drainage assets to prevent localized flooding.
- Modernizing traffic signals and street lighting systems.
Background and Future Restrictions
The current closure follows a similar weekend shutdown in early October 2026, when the anticlockwise exit slip road at Junction 11 (serving the Heathrow to Gatwick direction) was temporarily closed for initial construction phases.
Surrey County Council has confirmed that further lane closures and localized restrictions will be required on the slip roads over the coming months to safely complete the multi-million-pound improvement project. Regular commuters are advised to monitor local authority channels for advance notices on future weekend or overnight closures.
