You may recall I have been pressing National Highways, who are responsible for our motorways, to take action to address the particular problems caused by the concrete slabs which form the surface of the M25 through Runnymede and Weybridge. With so many people in proximity to the motorways, especially this section of concrete motorway, it is an absolute priority this is addressed.
I was therefore pleased to receive a response to my latest enquiries highlighting the progress that is being made. National Highways identified there are two issues caused specifically by this type of motorway surface. One is the noise and wear as cars travel over the joints between concrete sections, and the wear on these joints over time has only made this worse. The second is the excess noise produced by tyres on the concrete compared to standard road construction.
To address these national highways will begin work to restore the edges of the concrete sections, creating a narrower joint as was initially designed. They aim to carry out this work between junctions 9 and 10 this year (2023/24). This will be delivered on a greater scale than the trial that took place on the M1, and they will use this to learn lessons before continuing work between Junctions 10 and 11 in 2024/25.
To reduce the noise produced as cars travel over the concrete slabs, they will also treat the road surface with a technique called Next Generation Concrete Surfacing. M1 trials showed this process reduces noise while providing skid resistance and durability. This work will again begin on Junctions 9-10, starting in 2024.
I am delighted that progress is being made which will deliver a real positive impact to nearby residents. I will continue to engage with National Highways throughout the project, and will provide further updates when a more detailed timetable of works is available.
