M25 closures: Hampshire motorists heading to Heathrow Airport to deal with two motorway closures this month
One of the overnight closures is on the same night the clocks go back.
Motorists heading on long-distance journeys out of Hampshire are being warned of two major road closures en route towards London this month.
Drivers going in the direction of Heathrow Airport will have to contend with two M25 closures this month which will continue into Sunday mornings.
The anticlockwise carriageway of the M25 at junction 15, between the M4 slip roads, will close from 8pm on Saturday, October 17, until 10am the following morning. The same section will close again from 8pm on Saturday, October 24, until 10am on Sunday, October 25.
National Highways expects the M25/M4 interchange to be particularly busy between 8am and midday on both Sundays, with delays potentially continuing after the road reopens.
The clockwise carriageway and connections between the M25 and M4 will remain open.
Drivers have been urged not to assume the closures will be over before they need to travel simply because they are described as "overnight".
Majid Ismailzada, marketing director at GM Rides, said people should work backwards from the time they need to arrive at their terminal. "A lunchtime flight can still mean travelling during the morning," he said. "Once you work backwards from check-in, security and the time needed to reach your terminal, your journey may fall much earlier than you first think.
“Start with the time you need to be at the terminal, then work backwards through the journey. If you are parking, include the transfer from the car park. If you are booking a car, give the operator your terminal and flight details so the collection time can be reviewed properly.
“An extra half-hour might sound reassuring, but it is not a calculation. The allowance needs to reflect your route, when you are travelling and the conditions expected that morning.”
Terminals two and three at Heathrow are accessed via the M4 and junction 15 area, while Terminals 4 and 5 can be reached via M25 junction 14.
Drivers have therefore been advised to check the route to their specific terminal rather than simply entering Heathrow as their destination.
For traffic travelling anticlockwise through the closed section, the official diversion sends motorists along the M4 westbound to junction 5 before returning eastbound and rejoining the M25 anticlockwise at junction 4b.
Mr Ismailzada added: “Confirm the terminal, the collection time and the latest road information before you leave," he said. “If someone is giving you a lift, make sure they have checked the journey too.”
The second closure also falls on the weekend when British Summer Time ends. Clocks go back one hour at 2am on Sunday, October 25, meaning passengers arranging overnight journeys have been advised to confirm the date and collection time with their driver.
Mr Ismailzada said: “For an overnight booking on the clock-change weekend, confirm the collection time directly with your operator, particularly if it falls within the repeated hour.”
Drivers have been advised to follow the signed diversion and avoid making last-minute route changes while behind the wheel.