M25 junction 10 project profile
The three-year project, due for completion in summer 2025, will reduce congestion, create a smoother flow of traffic and provide safer journeys for thousands every day.
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Location: A few miles north of Guildford in Surrey
Project managed by: National Highways
Status: Work in progress
Progress in autumn 2024
Through autumn, we've achieved some significant project milestones.
Jet lanes
Over two weekends in October, we built the 'jet lanes' that will carry traffic swiftly through the new junction.
Due to good progress over those weekends, we didn't need a further closure in November. This paved the way for us to install Clearmount Bridge.
Clearmount Bridge
Clearmont Bridge is a bridleway for pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders crossing over the motorway.
We built the 450-tonne bridge off-site over summer. Once we finished building new supports on either side of the motorway, we installed the bridge over 2 and 3 November.
We used heavyweight transporters to move the bridge 300 metres along the M25 and jack it into place. With the new bridge safely installed, we managed to reopen the road to traffic more than two hours ahead of schedule.
This is the first time we've used this this method on the M25. It meant we could avoid closing the M25 for a full weekend. We'll open the bridge at a later date.
Wisley Lane Bridge
We've finished work on Wisley Lane Bridge which we'll open to traffic on Monday 11 November. The new bridge provides access to Wisley Lane and the RHS Garden Wisley.
At the same time, we'll permanently close the existing access to and from the A3 at the old Wisley Lane.
What else have we achieved in 2024?
Demolishing the old Clearmount Bridge
The project reached a key landmark in March with the demolition of Clearmount Bridge, the first of several demolitions scheduled to take place during 2024.
It involved a full weekend closure of the junction, and produced 3,000 tonnes of material, which took 80 trucks more than 24 hours to clear away.
We also installed a huge gantry that spans the width of the M25. At 58 metres long and weighing nearly 130 tonnes, we needed a 70-tonne crane to lift it.
Largely thanks to many drivers avoiding the area and making other travel plans during the closure, the operation was a great success and we were able to re-open the junction ahead of schedule.
Our gallery shows the main stages of the bridge demolition and the superspan gantry installation, which took place over the weekend 15 to 17 March.
Modal with carousel
Concrete nibblers remove concrete and reinforcing steel, until bridge is stripped to main girders
Work continues to strip down the bridge
Truck ferries out waste from the site
Drills break out bridge abutments while main girders are lifted out by crane
Crane prepares to lift the superspan gantry into position
Finishing work to the superspan gantry
The carriageway is cleared for reopening
Installing news east and west bridges
A second weekend closure took place in May. It allowed for the installation of a new east bridge consisting of 68 beams, each weighing 16 tonnes, and another four beams weighing 40 tonnes.
The closure was in place from 9pm on Friday 10 May. Due to good progress being made throughout the weekend by the project team, we were able to reopen the road on Sunday evening, seven hours ahead of schedule.
Modal with carousel
Friday evening: Work under way to rig the cranes that will lift the bridge beams and gantry into place
Workers help to manoeuvre the first bridge beam into position
The cranes lifting the first beams into position on either side of the carriageway
Saturday morning: Around half the bridge beams are now in place as work continues
The two cranes continue to lift the bridge beams into place
Saturday afternoon: Around 5pm, the last of the 16 tonne deck beams are going into place
Saturday evening: By 10pm, the first huge edge beam is being moved into place
The first edge beam is secured into place
Sunday morning: In the early hours, the signal gantry boom is installed
The final edge beam is lifted into place
Sunday: Work continues on the bridge - installing parapets, reinforcing and grouting
The main gantry boom is in place and fitting works are ongoing
Our third and final full weekend closure of 2024 mirrored our May bridge installation on the opposite side of the junction.
From Friday 12 July to Sunday 14 July, we installed the west bridge, together with a signal gantry spanning the full width of the carriageway. Once again, we were able to re-open the road ahead of schedule around 11pm on Sunday night.
What happens next?
We'll be:
- making more changes to the gyratory
- installing more bridges, including the green bridge at Cockcrow
- restoring heathland and planting new trees as part of our pledge to make environmental improvements
We'll need two more M25 full weekend closures in 2025, which we'll announce on our M25 junction 10 project page.
You'll also find the latest information about forthcoming closures and diversion routes on this page
The following graphic shows the bridges to be constructed and demolished as part of the project. Blue bridges are to be constructed; red bridges are to be demolished.
1 Wisley Lane footbridge
2 Wisley Lane / NMU bridge
3 Cockcrow bridleway bridge
4 Cockcrow green bridge
5 Redhill Road bridleway bridge
6 Clearmount bridleway bridge
7 Clearmount bridleway bridge
8 Northern gyratory bridge
9 Northern gyratory bridge
10 Southern gyratory bridge
11 Southern gyratory bridge
12 Sandpit Hill NMU bridge
About the junction
The M25 junction 10 and A3 Wisley interchange is the busiest section of the M25, with over 300,000 vehicles travelling through it every day. Journeys that include commuters, businesses, those visiting local attractions and holiday makers.
This sheer volume of traffic means vehicles often start queuing northbound between Ockham Park roundabout and the M25 junction 10, on the junction 10 roundabout, and on the approach to the Painshill roundabout.
The junction is located among some rare and beautiful habitats including the heathland at Wisley and Ockham commons.
What is the project?
The three-year project, due for completion in summer 2025, will reduce congestion, create a smoother flow of traffic and provide safer journeys for thousands every day.
We’ll also deliver environmental improvements, including the restoration of heathland around junction 10, and the planting of new trees and woodland in other areas.
The A3 will be surfaced with a low-noise material and environmental barriers along the M25 will be replaced. The effects on air quality will be minimised, and local rivers, lakes and ponds will be better protected from pollution and flooding.
Exploring the area on bicycle, foot or horse will be easier, with new bridges crossing the A3 and M25, connecting the four quadrants surrounding junction 10 for the first time.
Key features of the scheme:
- An additional lane on the A3 in both directions from Ockham and Painshill junctions towards the M25
- A larger roundabout with extra lanes to increase capacity
- Free-flow left turns at all four corners of the junction
- Improvements to the A245 Seven Hills junction and Painshill roundabout
- Safer access to Old Lane, Elm Lane, Heyswood campsite and San Domenico
- Improvements to the local environment and wildlife
- New and safer routes for cyclists, pedestrians and horse-riders
The UK’s first heathland green bridge will reconnect the commons either side of the A3, and provide a natural and safe corridor for wildlife.
