The £317m M25 J10 project will create better connections and smoother traffic flows for the 300,000 drivers who use it every day

Work to lift a new 91 metre footbridge across the M25 in Surrey will begin this weekend as a part of National Highways £317 million upgrade of junction 10, helping to connect local communities.

The new structure at Sandpit Hill will be one of the longest footbridges on the London Orbital motorway, and will improve links between Chatley Wood and Ockham Common for pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders.

It will be the first time there has been a footbridge at this location and forms part of National Highways commitment to create a new 5km route that will connect with many existing paths, tracks, and bridleways between the Ockham Park and Painshill interchanges.

Jonathan Wade – National Highways Senior Project Manager for the M25 J10 upgrade – said: “We’re keen to make sure that our scheme benefits the local community as well as motorists and this new footbridge will make crossing the M25 much safer and easier for pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders.

“The opening of the footbridge will another key milestone for the project. Junction 10 on the M25 is one of the busiest in the country and experiences congestion and delays on a regular basis. This scheme is a vital upgrade to improve safety and reliability for almost 300,000 drivers a day and help connect local communities.”

The footbridge platforms will be transported to site in two pieces, each measuring 55 metres in length and weighing 46 tonnes. It will open to pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders in Autumn 2024 when the work to the surrounding embankments is finished.

As well as reducing collisions, the £317m project will create better connections and smoother traffic flows for the 300,000 drivers who use it every day. The scheme also features some of the most extensive environmental work ever carried out by National Highways, including the restoration of over 22 hectares of heathland as well as planting new woodland.