THREE of Britain’s busiest motorways will shut over the next few days amidst a string of weekend closures.
Motorists have been warned they face significant disruption as major works get underway on the M25, M6, and M62.
The Junction 10 gyratory on the M25, which provides access to the A3, will close from 9pm on Friday until 6am on Monday, February 24, meaning there will be no interchange between the two routes.
Despite the closure, it is only the slip roads and roundabout that will be affected, and drivers on the A3 will still be able to continue through journeys, as will those on the M25.
National Highways confirmed there are diversion routes in place, taking drivers on local routes including the A320, A245, and A243 to avoid the closed junction.
These routes will all be signposted and are specifically designed to avoid London’s ULEZ, meaning you won’t pick up any unwanted fines.
Local access will still be available via the A3 northbound off slip to Painshill Junction.
The work comes as part of a £317million project to add extra lanes at the junction, and will see the major motorway closed in both directions between March 7 and 10, and between March 21 and 24.
Elsewhere, the M62 westbound between Manchester and Warrington will be closed overnight and will also suffer from lane restrictions in the daytime over the weekend.
The busy route will close fully between Junction 12 at Eccles and Junction 11 at Birchwood at 9pm on Friday before reopening at 6am on Saturday.
This will not only take place on February 21 but next weekend also.
During the daytime on both Saturdays, two of the four westbound lanes will be shut until late evening.
Diversion routes have been put in place, taking motorists via the anti-clockwise M60, westbound M56, and northbound M6.
Travelling football fans heading to watch Manchester United play Everton in Liverpool on Saturday have been advised to consider using the M56 and M6 to avoid delays.
The M6 is also facing disruption from Monday as closures are put in place to allow a £4million drainage improvement project to begin.
From Monday until Saturday, March 29, there will be overnight lane closures on part of the motorway, starting just south of Junction 34 at Lancaster to Junction 35 at Carnforth.
The road will also see daytime closures beginning from Monday, March 31.
National Highways said the improvements were being done to repair drainage systems and central reservation safety barriers as well as to clear blockages and improve the southbound roadside verge.
Diversion routes in place
M25 eastbound diversions:
Drivers on the M25 heading eastbound should leave the motorway at Junction 11 and follow the A320 towards the Six Crossroads roundabout junction with the A245 at Woking.
Then take the A245 to Sheerwater, West Byfleet and Byfleet to joint the A3 north or south at the Painshill Junction.
M25 westbound heading north on A3:
Drivers heading westbound on the M25 that want to head north on the A3 should leave the motorway at Junction 9 and follow the A243 towards Malden Rushett and Chessington.
At the Hook Junction, turn left onto the A309 Kingston Bypass and continue to the Scilly Isles Junction with the A307, and then take the first exit to the A307 towards Esher and Cobham to the Between Streets Junction.
At the junction of the A307 Porstmouth Road, take the second exit to the A245 and head towards Painshill Junction to join the A3 north.
M25 westbound heading south on A3:
Drivers heading westbound on the M25 and wanting to head south on the A3 should leave the motorway at Junction 9, taking the first exit and following the A24 Leatherhead Bypass south to the Givons Grove junction.
At the Givons Grove roundabout junction with the A246, take the second exit to the A246 Leatherhead Road towards Guildford.
Then, at the Clandon Crossroads, take the right turn to the A247 Clandon Road and then access the A3 south at the Send Junction.
A3 southbound heading west on M25:
Drivers heading southbound on the A3 who want to head west on the M25 should leave the A-road at the Painshill Junction before following the A245 through Byfleet, West Byfleet and Sheerwater towards the Six Crossroads Roundabout junction.
Once at that roundabout, take the fifth exit to the A320 which will take you to Junction 11 of the M25.
A3 southbound heading east on M25:
Drivers heading southbound on the A3 who want to continue east on the M25 should also leave the A-road at the Painshill Junction before taking the A246 towards Painshill.
Once at the Between Streets Junction, take the first exit to the A307 towards Esher to the Scilly Isles Junction with the A309 Kingston Bypass.
There, take the second exit onto the A309 Kingston Bypass up to the A3 Hook Junction.
At the Hook Junction, take the second exit to the A243 towards Hook and Malden Rushett and join the M25 at Junction 9.
A3 northbound heading east on M25:
Drivers heading northbound on the A3 who want to continue east on the M25 should leave the A3 at Send onto the B2215 and take the third exit at the roundabout onto the A247 through West Clandon.
Once at the Clandon Crossroads Junction, turn left to the A246 towards Leatherhead and continue to the Givons Grove roundabout junction with the A24 Leatherhead bypass.
Take the second exit to the A24 Leatherhead bypass and continue to the roundabout junction with the A24, taking the second exit to the A243.
Then continue along the A243 to joint the M25 east at Junction 9.
A3 northbound heading west on M25:
Drivers heading northbound on the A3 who want to continue west on the M25 should leave the A3 at Send onto the B2215.
At the roundabout take the first exit to the A237 Send Barns Lane until you reach the roundabout junction with the B382 High Street Old Woking.
There, take the second exit onto the B382 High Street and continue onto the B382 Old Woking Road, continuing to the roundabout junction with the A245.
Then, take the first exit to the A245 Sheerwater Road, continuing onto the A245 to the Six Crossroads Roundabout Junction with the A320, taking the fifth exit to the A320 Chertsey Road.
Continue on the A320 to join the M25 west at Junction 11.
M62 diversion:
When the motorway is closed overnight on the Friday and Saturday nights a diversion will operate using the anti-clockwise M60, westbound M56 and northbound M6 with drivers rejoining the M62 at junction 10 at Croft interchange.
No work will be taking place along the eastbound carriageway which will remain fully-open throughout each weekend.
Cameron Newsham, National highways project manager, said: “Doing the drainage and safety barrier work at the same time means reducing future roadworks in the area – minimising inconvenience for motorway users.
“In any case, the motorway will be open to drivers at all times as we’ll be carrying out all the work by only using lane closures both during the daytime and overnight.
“While we are not expecting this work to disrupt anyone’s journey we appreciate drivers like to know what work is going on when they come across traffic management and lane closures.”
The work will be carried out in three phases using lane closures, with the motorway remaining open throughout.
While a 50mph speed limit will be in place for some sections, the national speed limit will apply elsewhere.
