M25 Closures: What Drivers Need to Know This Summer

Drivers in south-east London and Kent face overnight M25 closures around Dartford this week, from Monday, June 22, to Friday, June 26. The closures, running 10pm to 5.30am each night, are part of maintenance and safety upgrades on key sections of the motorway.

Overnight M25 Closures Around Dartford: June 22–26

National Highways has scheduled a series of carriageway and slip road closures across both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions. Each night, multiple junctions will be affected, with specific routes varying by day.

Closures occur nightly from 10pm to 5.30am, affecting key routes such as anti-clockwise between junctions 9–8 and 27–25, and clockwise between junctions 2–3 and 10–11.

• Monday: Anti-clockwise J9–8 and J27–25, clockwise J2–3 and J10–11, plus slip roads at J22 entry (clockwise), J4 entry (anti-clockwise), and J15–14 link roads.
• Tuesday: Similar carriageway closures, plus clockwise J19 exit slip road and anti-clockwise J23 exit slip road.
• Wednesday: Anti-clockwise J20–18 added, and anti-clockwise J22 exit slip closed.
• Thursday: Anti-clockwise J18–17 added, with all other core closures repeating.
• Friday: Final night follows the same pattern as Thursday.

Why These Closures Are Happening: Maintenance and Safety Upgrades

The works are part of ongoing maintenance to improve road surfaces, signage, and safety barriers. Overnight scheduling minimises disruption during peak daytime traffic, a common approach across many M25 sections in previous summers.

These are not event-related closures. The focus is on long-term reliability and safety. Similar closures have been routine in recent years, but this week's schedule is notably concentrated around Dartford, a critical corridor for London and the South East.

Alternative Routes and Smart Navigation to Beat Delays

Drivers can use the A2, A282, or local roads around Dartford as diversions. Real-time traffic apps like Waze or Google Maps provide live updates and can automatically reroute around closures. Setting departure times to avoid the 10pm–5.30am window is the simplest fix.

For those who must travel overnight, planning ahead is essential. National Highways publishes daily closure schedules on its website and social media channels. Subscribing to travel alerts can provide last-minute updates. The rise of AI-powered navigation tools — as discussed in our article on AI adoption in technology — means drivers can rely on predictive routing to minimise delays. Similarly, emergency notification systems like Turquoise Alert could offer real-time traffic warnings in the future.

• Use A2 or A282 as primary diversions; local roads (e.g., A226, B2174) for shorter detours.
• Enable GPS rerouting and check traffic apps before departing.
• Monitor National Highways’ X (Twitter) feed for live changes.

Key Takeaways

• Overnight M25 closures around Dartford run nightly from 10pm to 5.30am, Monday to Friday, June 22–26.
• Closures affect both carriageways and multiple slip roads; check daily schedules for exact routes.
• Works are for maintenance and safety upgrades, not special events.
• Alternative local routes (A2, A282) and navigation apps can help minimise delays.
• Subscribe to National Highways alerts and check traffic apps before travelling.
• Expect possible longer overnight journeys and allow extra time if travelling during closure periods.