Heathrow passengers travelling in October are being urged to check their routes carefully after planned M25 closures were extended into Sunday mornings, raising the prospect of delays for travellers heading to the airport for late-morning and lunchtime flights.
The M25 anticlockwise carriageway at junction 15, between the M4 slip roads, will close during two weekends this month, with the road scheduled to reopen at 10am on both Sundays.
National Highways has confirmed the closures will run from 8pm on Saturday October 17 until 10am on Sunday October 18, and again from 8pm on Saturday October 24 until 10am on Sunday October 25.
The M25/M4 interchange is expected to be busiest between 8am and midday on the affected Sundays, with National Highways warning that some delays could continue even after the carriageway reopens.
The clockwise carriageway and connections between the M25 and M4 will remain open.
Majid Ismailzada, marketing director at GM Rides, said the description of the works as “overnight” could give passengers a misleading impression that the disruption would be over before they begin their airport journey.
“The word ‘overnight’ can make people think the work will be finished before their airport journey begins. The important question is what time you will reach that section of motorway.
“A lunchtime flight can still mean travelling during the morning. 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.”
The warning is particularly relevant to passengers who have calculated their journey around their scheduled departure time rather than their required arrival at the airport.
A traveller with a midday flight who has been advised to arrive three hours before departure would need to reach the airport by 9am, before taking into account the time required to drive to Heathrow.
Passengers are being advised to check their airline’s check-in and bag-drop deadlines as well as Heathrow’s published arrival guidance before setting off.
Ismailzada said travellers should calculate the journey from the terminal backwards rather than simply adding an arbitrary buffer to their expected driving time.
“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.”
The effect of the closure will vary according to the direction of travel and the terminal being used.
Heathrow’s driving directions route passengers travelling to Terminals 2 and 3 via the M4 and junction 15 area, while Terminals 4 and 5 can be accessed via M25 junction 14.
Passengers have therefore been advised to check their precise terminal route rather than simply entering Heathrow as a general destination.
For traffic continuing anticlockwise through the closed section, the official diversion takes drivers on the M4 westbound to junction 5 before returning eastbound and rejoining the M25 anticlockwise at junction 4b.
Ismailzada said passengers should check their route when arranging their journey, again the day before departure and immediately before setting off.
“Confirm the terminal, the collection time and the latest road information before you leave. If someone is giving you a lift, make sure they have checked the journey too.
“Drivers should follow the signed diversion and avoid making last-minute route changes while behind the wheel. If you need to review directions, ask a passenger to help or stop somewhere safe.”
The second closure also coincides with the end of British Summer Time, adding another potential complication for passengers arranging overnight travel.
Clocks go back by one hour at 2am on Sunday October 25, meaning travellers with overnight collections have been advised to confirm the date and local time with their driver.
“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,” Ismailzada said.
“The aim is to agree a realistic plan before the day of travel, with enough time for the road journey and the airport requirements.”
For Heathrow travellers, the central message is straightforward: an “overnight” road closure does not necessarily mean an unaffected morning airport journey. With the M25 interchange expected to remain busy through the morning, passengers travelling on the affected Sundays will need to calculate their journey according to when they need to reach the terminal, rather than when their flight departs.
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