M25 junction 3

Latest updates

• 14 November 2024

  Works complete

  We’re pleased to announce that we have completed our strengthening work on the west bridge, slightly ahead of schedule. The work that we’ve been carrying out since June 2024 will help keep the bridge safe and usable for the years to come.

  We’ve now re-waterproofed the bridge deck, resurfaced the carriageway and reinstated the lane markings in lane one. Our traffic management has been removed, and the junction is back to normal operations.

  We strengthened the east bridge of the junction in 2023, and with the west bridge now reinforced, the entire project is officially complete. 

  Thank you for your patience and understanding during these essential works.

  

• 29 October 2024

  Rescheduled dates for reinstatement works

  We’ve now installed all of the new carbon fibre rods across both lanes of the bridge. These have been fixed into the bridge deck and, unlike the steel reinforcing plates used previously, they will not corrode, helping to keep the bridge safe for longer.

  With this key element of our work complete, we can now reinstate the utility services and streetlighting on the bridge and resurface lane one. We’ll need some overnight closures of the bridge to do this safely.

  We had to postpone our closures on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 October due to a supply chain issue. We’ve now rescheduled these closures.

  We’ll close the west bridge at M25 junction 3 overnight on:

  • Thursday 31 October, between 10pm and 5:30am
  • Friday 1 November, between 11pm and 6am

  Diversion routes

  When the bridge is closed overnight, a clearly signed diversion route will be in place via the A20 westbound to the Crittall’s Corner roundabout and return. View the diversion route. 

  If you need to travel while the bridge is closed, you can check the latest information on our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England site. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network. Please remember that closures can change at short notice. 

• 15 October 2024

  Work in October 2024

  We’ve now installed all the new carbon fibre rods in the bridge deck across both lanes of the bridge.

  Unlike the old steel reinforcing plates, carbon fibre won't corrode. This helps keep the bridge safe for longer.

  Now we've completed this work, we can:

  • reinstate the utility services and streetlighting on the bridge
  • resurface lane one

  Closures

  We’ll need some overnight closures of the bridge to do this safely.

  We’ll close the west bridge at M25 junction 3 overnight on:

  • Friday 18 October from 11pm to 6am
  • Saturday 19 October from 10pm to 5am

  Diversion 

  A clearly signed diversion route will be in place via the A20 westbound to the Crittall’s Corner roundabout and return.

  M25 junction 3 west bridge closure diversion map.

  Please remember that closures can change at short notice. You can check the latest information on our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England site. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.

• 04 October 2024

  Latest progress

  The bridge carries two lanes of traffic in the same direction and we completed our work on the right-hand side in early September. The right-hand side lane has been resurfaced and is open to traffic.

  We are now focused on strengthening the left-hand side of the bridge. To complete the work on this half of the bridge safely, the left-hand side lane will be closed 24-hours a day until November 2024.

  We’ve planed off the road surface, removed the kerbs and waterproofing layer on the left-hand side of the bridge. We’ve also removed the old reinforcing steel plates which have been in place for decades and are susceptible to corrosion.

  We’re currently installing the new carbon fiber rods in the left lane. We’ve cut grooves into the bridge deck where the new rods will be fixed into place, helping to reinforce the bridge and restore its carrying capacity. Unlike the old steel plates, the carbon fiber rods will not corrode – helping to keep the bridge safe for longer.

  We currently have no full overnight closures of the bridge planned, and the right-hand side lane is open for traffic 24 hours a day. Please check back for updates on planned closures. 

  Events at Brands Hatch

  Please note that Brands Hatch Race Circuit has several headline events coming up during weekends in October. If you plan to travel to the circuit via M25 junction 3, please allow additional time.

  You can check the latest information on our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England site. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.

  

• 12 August 2024

  Reaching the halfway point

  If you’ve recently travelled through the junction, you’ll know the outside lane has been closed 24 hours a day, allowing us to strengthen the right-hand side of the bridge safely while traffic passes on our left-hand side.

  We’ve removed the old, underlying steel plates in this lane and replaced them with new carbon-fibre rods. Unlike the old steel plates, these new rods are resistant to corrosion, which will help keep the structure safe for years to come. We will now install a new waterproofing layer to protect the bridge deck from rainwater damage, then reinstate the kerbs and drainage, and finally resurface the lane and repaint the lane markings.

  We’ll then switch the 24-hour lane closure over to the inside lane to safely work on the left-hand side of the bridge.

• 06 June 2024

  Bridge strengthening work restarts 17 June 2024

  We strengthened the junction’s east bridge last year and replaced the existing steel strengthening plates, which were installed in the 1990s.

  We're coming back later this month to do the same work on the opposite side of the junction, where we’ll be strengthening the bridge which crosses over the A20 on the western side of the Swanley Interchange. This work is scheduled to start on Monday 17 June and will last until early November 2024.

• 25 October 2023

  East bridge works complete

  We’ve completed our work to strengthen the east bridge ahead schedule.

  The reinforcing steel plates, which were reaching the end of their serviceable life, have been replaced with stronger, corrosion-resistant carbon fibre rods. This work will keep the structure safe and reduce the risk of emergency repairs in the future.

  We’ve now taken away all of the lane restrictions on the east bridge and the junction is now operating as normal.

  We won’t need to do any more work this year but will need to come back to carry out the same work on the west bridge.

  Work is currently planned to start in summer 2024.

  Please check back here for updates.