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Welcome to our latest update on our proposals to improve the M25 junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange.
What’s been happening?
In May, the Secretary of State for Transport asked for more time to make a final decision on whether we can continue with our proposals to improve the M25 junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange. In his statement, the Secretary of State shared a new deadline of 12 November 2021.
Over the summer the Secretary of State for Transport requested an update to the scheme’s environmental information and invited other interested parties to comment on our response. Further information on this can be found on the Planning Inspectorate webpage.
Why and how we are improving the M25 Junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange
Junction 10 is one of the busiest sections of the M25, with almost 300,000 vehicles travelling through it every day. Due to the volume of traffic and the resulting queues, this area of our network has a very poor safety record and holds one of the highest collision rates across the National Highways network. Our proposals will reduce delays, smooth traffic flow and create safer journeys for all.
The scheme will also involve some of the most extensive environmental mitigation ever carried out by National Highways. Over the coming months we will share more information with you about the environmental elements of our proposals. In this update we focus on the local water environment improvements.
Boldermere Lake
 We have developed a plan to improve habitats in and around Boldermere lake. If our proposals are given the go-ahead, the plan will be implemented over the next 15 years. Tree cover around the lake will be managed to create light conditions favoured by rare damsel and dragonflies. And invasive fish species will be removed from the lake.
In addition, seeds will be harvested from reedbeds on the lake. These will be grown in a specialist plant nursery, ready to recreate reedbeds in the future, adjacent to the A3.
Did you know that over 20 species of dragonflies and damselflies have previously been identified living on or around the lake?
Stratford Brook
As part of our proposals, we will be making it easier for fish and mammals to pass along the local Stratford Brook. A new bridge will be wide enough to avoid disturbing an existing meander in the brook and to allow mammals to pass freely underneath. The existing bridge just downstream will be changed, allowing fish and mammals to pass more freely. New hedges will be planted to lead mammals under the bridges and away from the roads.
Elsewhere our improvements would look to upgrade the road drainage, to help protect local designated habitats like Boldermere Lake and Stratford Brook. Drainage ditches and attenuation ponds – ponds that store the water that runs off the roads – will be planted with seed mixes carefully tailored to the local environment.
Our team have been volunteering in the local community
 Last week our project team spent the day volunteering at Painshill in Cobham. The team of 15 spent the day coppicing areas of laurel alongside staff at the grade one listed Surrey park. Coppicing is an ancient method of woodland management which involves cutting the trees down to their stumps to allow new shoots to grow. Not only does this extend the life of the trees, but also provides a haven for wildlife, providing a habitat for and cover for birds and small mammals.
Painshill relies on volunteers to preserve the landscape and is open daily to the public. It also welcomes groups of volunteers from any type of organisation. Corporate volunteering provides an ideal opportunity for teams to come together outside of the office and interact in a new setting. For us, the coppicing provided a wonderful team building opportunity, which we thoroughly embraced.
Keeping you informed
You can find out more about our plans and keep up to date with the project on our dedicated webpage: www.highwaysengland.co.uk/m25j10 . There is also the opportunity for you to sign up to updates via the webpage.
If you have any questions, please contact us either by email on M25j10@highwaysengland.co.uk or call 0300 123 5000 and one of the team will be happy to help.
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