The 10-mile M25 diversion set to cause traffic meltdown trends now
Drivers are being warned not to follow their satnavs this weekend during an 'unprecedented' closure of the M25 which looks set to cause travel chaos.
National Highways issued an alert as it braces to shut a five-mile stretch of the motorway in both directions in Surrey between junctions 10 and 11 from 9pm on Friday till 6am on Monday.
It will be the first ever scheduled daytime all-lanes shutdown of the M25 since it first opened in 1986.
A diversion route, roughly 10 miles in length, has been put in place instead which will add roughly an hour to people's usual journey time between junctions 10 and 11.
The government-owned company running England's roads urged drivers to not travel unless it is essential and to follow signs for diversion routes on A-roads instead of their satnavs in order to avoid 'gridlock'.
The planned closure on the M25 alongside the 10 mile diversion route which is estimated to add an hour to people's normal journeys
A look at a traffic jam on junction 10 of the M25 motorway in Surrey, which will be closed this weekend
National Highways has issued an alert as it braces to shut a five-mile stretch of the motorway between junctions 10 and 11
It will be the first scheduled daytime all-lanes shutdown of the M25 since it opened in 1986
Jonathan Wade, project lead at National Highways, told PA: 'How many people are going to take the initiative and try and use satnavs?
'There's probably a greater risk of congestion by people just doing their own thing and thinking they can perhaps beat the signs and find a shorter or quicker route.
'That will cause further congestion on some of the key junctions so please avoid doing that if at all possible.'
He did, however, add that it will be tough to estimate delays as 'we've got nothing to benchmark it against'.
'There's never been a closure of this nature. We really can't be
