A MAJOR motorway is set to close for the first time ever in just days, with drivers warned of travel chaos and long delays.
Brits are being urged to only use the road “if necessary” as part of the carriageway is shut in both directions.
AFPA five-mile stretch of the M25 will be closed completely from March 15 to March 18[/caption]
National Highways has confirmed that the M25, the UK’s busiest motorway, will be closed for three days over next weekend.
The restrictions will come into force at 9pm on March 15, before being lifted at 6am on March 18.
They will affect a five-mile stretch of the route between junctions 10 and 11.
Drivers planning to travel in the area around Cobham, Surrey, should note that the carriageway will be closed in both directions during those times.
The closure is part of a £317 million infrastructure improvement scheme and will mark the first time it has been fully shut down for planned works since it was completed in 1986.
Around 200,000 vehicles are expected to be affected as the M25 serves as a major route in and out of London.
A 10-mile diversion will be installed, filtering motorists onto smaller surrounding roads.
This is likely to spark heavy traffic in areas like Cobham, Byfleet and Sheerwater.
The junction will then be reopened at Chertsey, allowing drivers to rejoin the road.
However, this is not the only closure set to affect the M25, with four more scheduled between now and September.
The exact dates have not yet been revealed, but the next is expected to come as soon as next month.
Jonathan Wade, project lead for National Highways, said: “Drivers should only use the M25 if their journey is absolutely necessary.
“This is the first of five full closures of one of the busiest junctions on our road network.
“We have spent months planning for these closures and making sure there are diversion routes in place, but there will still be heavy congestion and delays.
“These improvements will bring long-term benefits to drivers who pass through this stretch of the M25, not to mention pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders who will also see positive changes in the area.”
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