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A serious collision on the M25 in Surrey has shut part of the motorway in both directions, triggering significant delays this morning and a travel warning for passengers heading to Gatwick Airport.
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Major M25 closure between Junctions 10 and 11
Publicly available information from Surrey Police shows the M25 is closed between Junction 10 at Wisley and Junction 11 at Chertsey following a serious collision shortly before midnight on 31 August. The incident has affected both carriageways, forcing all traffic off the motorway and onto local diversion routes.
The closure, which began at around 23:55, remained in place through the early hours of 1 September and into the morning peak period as specialist teams worked at the scene. Reports indicate congestion is building on approaches to the affected stretch, with knock-on delays on nearby A-roads including the A3 and A245.
National Highways travel alerts describe the incident as a police-led operation and warn that clearing the scene and reopening the motorway will take several hours. Drivers are being urged to avoid the area where possible and to follow signed diversion routes around the closure.
Traffic monitoring updates suggest vehicles are queueing for several miles in both directions, with long delays particularly affecting drivers heading towards the M3 and M23 corridors.
Air passengers advised to allow extra time for Gatwick journeys
The shutdown of a key section of the London orbital route is having an immediate impact on surface access to major airports, including Gatwick. Surrey Police’s public travel notice highlights that journeys to both Heathrow and Gatwick are likely to be disrupted and encourages anyone heading to the airports to check routes and timings carefully before setting off.
The M25 is a principal route for passengers travelling from much of the South East and beyond to reach the M23 and Gatwick Airport. With traffic being forced off between Junctions 10 and 11, drivers heading clockwise towards Junction 7 for the M23 face extended journey times and the risk of missing early morning departures if they do not plan ahead.
Published travel guidance suggests that passengers should factor in substantial extra time for their journeys, particularly those with early flight check ins. Those using airport parking, hotel shuttles or taxi services are also likely to experience delays as operators navigate diversion routes and heavier than usual traffic on surrounding roads.
Airport-bound travellers are being encouraged to monitor live traffic information services and to consider alternative routes to Gatwick, including approaching the M23 from the south via the A24, A22 or local routes where appropriate and safe to do so.
National Highways diversion routes and congestion outlook
National Highways reports that the closure covers the stretch of motorway linking key junctions for the A3 and routes into Surrey’s commuter belt. Official alerts indicate that engineers and incident teams are on scene but that the complexity of the collision investigation and vehicle recovery means the motorway is expected to remain shut for an extended period.
Diversion plans direct anti clockwise traffic off at Junction 11 and along local A-roads before rejoining at Junction 10, with a similar arrangement in reverse for clockwise traffic. However, the A245 Parvis Road has also been closed in both directions, placing further pressure on remaining local routes and amplifying congestion in areas such as Byfleet and West Byfleet.
Travel data compiled early this morning points to slow moving queues on approach to both junctions, as well as on the A3 southbound towards Cobham. Drivers using the M25 to connect between the M3, M4, M40 and M23 are being advised to consider longer distance alternatives or to delay their journeys where possible.
With the motorway shut through the morning peak, transport analysts expect residual delays to continue even after lanes begin to reopen, as the backlog of traffic clears and displaced vehicles gradually return to the normal network.
Knock on effects for Surrey commuters and local roads
The incident is also causing widespread disruption for commuters within Surrey who rely on the M25 corridor and adjacent trunk roads. Morning traffic patterns around Woking, Chertsey and Guildford are being reshaped as drivers seek to bypass the closure, increasing volumes on smaller local roads not designed for sustained high traffic flows.
Recent transport planning documents for Surrey highlight the heavy dependence of the county’s economy on the M25 for commuting and for access to key hubs such as Gatwick and Heathrow. When the orbital motorway is significantly restricted, traffic commonly diverts through town centres and residential areas, raising concerns over congestion, journey reliability and air quality.
Local journey times on strategic routes including the A3, A320 and A318 are expected to rise while the closure remains in force. Bus services that share these corridors may also experience delays, particularly those feeding rail interchanges and business parks around Woking and Weybridge.
Residents and local businesses are being urged through public bulletins to allow additional time for school and work journeys, to consider flexible working or remote meetings where possible, and to avoid driving near the closure area unless travel is essential.
Advice for travellers heading to Gatwick later today
Travel organisations consistently advise that passengers travelling to airports during major motorway incidents should leave significantly earlier than usual and check both road and rail options before departure. For Gatwick, alternatives to the M25 and M23 may include using the A24 or A22 from the south or approaching via rail connections where services are running normally.
National rail planners show that separate engineering works affecting some routes to Gatwick are due later in September, underscoring the importance of checking for any short notice changes if switching from road to rail. While today’s disruption is focused on the motorway network, passengers are advised to verify their chosen route on official journey planning tools.
Airlines typically continue to operate schedules during road incidents, placing the onus on passengers to reach the airport in time. Travel guidance suggests allowing at least an extra hour on top of standard road journey estimates when a major closure is in place on the M25, and more during peak commuting periods.
With the collision investigation around Junctions 10 and 11 expected to take several hours, travellers to Gatwick throughout the day are likely to feel the impact of this morning’s disruption. Continuous monitoring of live traffic feeds and flexibility in route choice will be key to keeping journeys as smooth as possible.
Surrey Police M25 closure update
National Highways live M25 travel alerts