The M25 will be closed for a full weekend for a second time next month, as engineers continue with the junction 10 improvement scheme.

The orbital motorway will be closed between junctions 9 and 10 from 9pm on Friday 10 May to 6am on Monday 13 May, while a new bridge is installed as part of ongoing work.

National Highways made the unprecedented move of closing the motorway in March and made good progress by demolishing a bridge and installing a gantry.

Work was completed eight hours ahead of schedule which meant the section between junctions 10 and 11 was reopened to traffic early.

These £317m essential works are one of five series of improvements to the M25 taking place this year, as part of the government’s £24bn road investment strategy.

Jonathan Wade, National Highways senior project manager, said: “This is far from a repeat of the previous closure, as the alternative routes are longer and will be different for over height vehicles and all other traffic.

“Drivers listened to our advice last time which reduced motorway traffic levels by over two thirds and meant delays were limited.

“Our advice again is please only travel if absolutely necessary and make sure you give yourself extra time if you do choose to use the M25.”

The carriageway between junctions 9 and 11 carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles per hour in each direction between 10am and 9pm on a weekend.

Up to 270,000 vehicles pass through this junction each weekday and it is one of the busiest stretches of road in the UK.