Bridging the M25
The scale of bridge works on the M25 junction 10 scheme made it necessary to close the M25 over several weekends.
This 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
The nature of our bridge works meant we had to take the unusual steps of fully closing the M25 over several weekends in 2024.
The images on this page illustrate the scale of the work involved.
March 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
Trucks ferry 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
May and July 2024 - installing new 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.
November 2024 - Clearmount and Wisley Lane bridges
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 method on the M25. It meant we could avoid closing the M25 for a full weekend.
