Editing M25 motorway (section)

==Incidents==

On 11 December 1984, nine people died and ten were injured in a multiple-vehicle collision between junctions 5 and 6. Twenty-six vehicles were involved when dense fog descended suddenly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/history-from-police-archives/RB1/Pt4/pt4M25Rta84.html|title=Surrey Constabulary: Part 4: A Policing Revolution: 1976–1992|work=Open University|access-date=27 October 2019|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803163308/http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/history-from-police-archives/RB1/Pt4/pt4M25Rta84.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 16 December 1988, several vehicles were stolen and used as getaway for acts of murder and robbery, using the M25 to quickly move between targets. The [[M25 Three]], including [[Raphael Rowe]], were tried and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1990. Their convictions were overturned in 2000 and Rowe, who studied journalism while in prison, became an [[investigative journalism|investigative journalist]] for the BBC.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/837275.stm |title=Appeal court frees 'M25 Three' |date=17 July 2000 |website=BBC News |access-date=2 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/1b2wc5XNwYYfZf2D8LdBxtW/raphael-rowe |title=BBC One – Panorama – Raphael Rowe |website=BBC |access-date=2 September 2021}}</ref>{{sfn|Hamilton|2015|p=15}}

In 1996, [[Kenneth Noye]] murdered Stephen Cameron in a [[road rage]] incident while stopped at traffic lights on an M25 junction in Kent. He was convicted in 2000 and sentenced to life imprisonment.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/kenneth-noye-m25-killer-moved-to-open-prison-murderer-police-stephen-cameron-brinks-matt-hatton-a7882371.html|title=Kenneth Noye: Notorious M25 killer to be moved to open prison|newspaper=The Independent|date=8 August 2017|access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref> He was released in June 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-48367089|title=M25 killer Kenneth Noye to be freed from prison|work=BBC News|date=22 May 2019|access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-48542576|title=M25 killer Kenneth Noye released from prison|work=BBC News|date=6 June 2019|access-date=19 July 2019}}</ref>

In November 2014, during overnight roadworks, a {{convert|16|ft|adj=on}} piece of road surface near junction 9 at [[Leatherhead]] failed to set correctly due to rain. This created a {{convert|1|ft|adj=on}} pothole in the road and caused a {{convert|12|mile|km|adj=on}} tailback. The Minister for Transport [[John Hayes (British politician)|John Hayes]] criticised the work and the resulting traffic problems.{{sfn|Hamilton|2015|p=27}}

The M25 has had problems with animals and birds on the carriageway. In 2009, the Highways Agency reported that they had been called out several times a week to remove a swan from the motorway around junction 13.{{sfn|Moran|2009|p=145}} There have been several crashes resulting in horses escaping their horseboxes onto the carriageway.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/horses-break-loose-on-motorway-after-horsebox-crash-on-m25-a2328066.html|title=Horses break loose on motorway after horsebox crash on M25|newspaper=London Evening Standard|date=8 August 2015|access-date=19 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-33837350|title=Horses break free in Surrey M25 crash|work=BBC News|date=8 August 2015|access-date=19 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/horse-involved-crash-m25-led-1787894|title=A horse involved in a crash on the M25 was led to safety|work=Kent Live|date=15 July 2018|access-date=19 July 2019}}</ref>

===Racing===
The motorway has attracted unofficial, and illegal, [[Auto racing|motor racing]]. At the end of the 1980s, before the advent of automated speed enforcement devices, owners of [[supercars]] would meet at night at service stations such as [[South Mimms services|South Mimms]] and conduct time trials.{{sfn|Moran|2009|p=163}} Times below 1 hour were achieved – an average speed of over 117&nbsp;mph (188&nbsp;km/h), which included coming to a halt at the [[Dartford Tunnel]] road user charge payment booths.<ref>{{Cite web| last = May | first = James| author-link = James May | title = Speed, Greed And The M25| publisher = [[BBC Radio 4]] | date = 20 October 2007| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/pip/ap895/?focuswin}}
</ref><ref>{{cite press release | title = Programme Information – Network Radio Week 43 | publisher = [[BBC]] Press Office |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/radio/wk43/sat.shtml}}</ref> The winner received champagne rather than money. The ''Enfield Gazette'' referred to an "M25 club", and posters appeared near the M25 advertising the "First London Cannonball Run".{{sfn|Moran|2009|p=163}} The racing had mostly disappeared by the end of the 1980s after speed cameras were introduced.{{sfn|Moran|2009|p=164}}

===Insulate Britain protests===
{{main|Insulate Britain protests}}
In 2021, several sections of the M25 were disrupted after the home energy and insulation campaign group [[Insulate Britain]] blocked junctions including Nos.&nbsp;3 ([[Swanley]]), 6 ([[Godstone]]), 14 (Heathrow), 20 ([[Kings Langley]]) and 31 ([[Lakeside Shopping Centre|Lakeside]]). A spokesman for [[the AA]] said the actions were counterproductive, as they would cause increased vehicle emissions owing to delays, as well having a negative effect on the economy.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-58543603|title=M25 junctions blocked by Insulate Britain campaigners|work=BBC News|date=13 September 2021|access-date=13 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/13/climate-protesters-arrested-after-blocking-m25-junctions-in-rush-hour|title=Climate protesters arrested after blocking M25 junctions in rush hour|newspaper=The Guardian|date=13 September 2021|access-date=13 September 2021}}</ref> 92 people were arrested following the first incident on 13 September, followed by a further 70 two days later. Insulate Britain said they would continue to disrupt the M25 until the government responded.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/15/green-protesters-bring-m25-traffic-to-a-halt-for-second-time-this-week|title=Dozens arrested after protests bring M25 traffic to a halt again|newspaper=The Guardian|date=15 September 2021|access-date=15 September 2021}}</ref>

On 29 October, two days before the [[2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference]], Insulate Britain protests blocked traffic from junctions 21 to 22 in Hertfordshire and 28 to 29 in Essex. 19 arrests were made.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/29/insulate-britain-protesters-arrested-walking-on-to-m25|title=Insulate Britain protesters arrested walking on to M25|date=29 October 2021|accessdate=6 December 2021}}</ref>