M25 closure – live: Traffic building as five-mile stretch closed to drivers due to bridge works

A five-mile stretch between junctions 10 and 11 has been shut in both directions since 9pm on Friday and won’t reopen until 6am on Monday.

It comes after drivers were warned to stay at home as the unprecedented closure of the motorway was expected to cause a “carmageddon” of gridlock traffic this weekend.

“We made good progress during the first night of the M25 J10 to J11 weekend closure,” National Highways said on Saturday.

“We will again work throughout the night to continue the demolition and gantry installations. There are minimal delays in the area at this time.”

It is the first planned daytime closure of the motorway – which encircles London – since it opened in 1986. National Highways said its modelling indicated vehicles would face delays of up to five hours without mitigation measures, such as urging drivers to stay away.

M25 closure – how awful will it be over ‘stay home weekend’?

M25 diversions, closure map and alternative routes to use this weekend