Editing M25 motorway (section)

==Traffic==

[[File:M25 Motorway Clockwise. Approaching Junction 14 For A3113 For Heathrow - geograph.org.uk - 1280493.jpg|thumb|Near [[Heathrow Airport]], the M25 is six lanes wide in each direction.]]

The M25 is one of Europe's busiest motorways. In 2003, a maximum of 196,000 vehicles a day were recorded just south of Heathrow, between junctions 13 and 14.<ref name="Motorway traffic up 4% on 2003">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3558822.stm|title=Motorway traffic up 4% on 2003|access-date=3 January 2009|date=12 August 2004|work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> The stretch between the nearby junctions 14 and 15 consistently records the highest daily traffic counts on the British strategic road network, with the average flow in 2018 being 219,492 vehicles (lower than the record peak measured in 2014 of 262,842).<ref name="GB Road Traffic Counts">{{Cite web|url=https://data.gov.uk/dataset/208c0e7b-353f-4e2d-8b7a-1a7118467acc/gb-road-traffic-counts|title=GB Road Traffic Counts|date=29 May 2019|website=data.gov.uk|access-date=19 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001163113/https://data.gov.uk/dataset/208c0e7b-353f-4e2d-8b7a-1a7118467acc/gb-road-traffic-counts|archive-date=1 October 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Highways Agency Smart Motorways control centre.jpg|thumb|left|A control room for the M25 junction 5–7 [[smart motorway]] scheme]]

Traffic on the M25 is monitored by Connect Plus Services on behalf of National Highways. The company operates a series of transportable CCTV cameras that can be easily moved into congestion hotspots, allowing operators to have a clear view of the motorway and so assess what might be done to tackle particular areas of congestion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wcctv.co.uk/case-studies/connect-plus-m25-traffic-management-/ |title=Connect Plus M25 Traffic Management |publisher=WCCTV |access-date=14 May 2019}}</ref> Prior to its liquidation in 2018, [[Carillion]] was subcontracted to manage traffic on the M25, delivering live alerts from body-worn cameras via 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wcctv.co.uk/case-studies/carillion-traffic-management-body-worn-cameras/|title=Carillion Traffic Management – Body Worn Cameras|work=WCCTV|access-date=14 May 2019}}</ref>

Since 1995, sections of the M25 have been equipped with variable speed limits, which slow traffic in the event of congestion or an obstruction, and help manage the traffic flow.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/1094/body/made|title=The M25 Motorway (Junctions 10 to 15) (Variable Speed Limits) Regulations 1995|work=UK Statutory Instruments|date=15 May 1995|access-date=30 September 2022}}</ref> The scheme was originally trialled between junctions 10 and 16, and was made a permanent fixture in 1997.<ref>{{cite report |url=http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/04-05/040515.pdf |title=Report (HC 15, 2004–05): Tackling congestion by making better use of England's motorways and trunk roads (Full Report) |publisher=[[National Audit Office (United Kingdom) |National Audit Office]] |date=26 November 2004 |access-date=17 September 2009 |page=21 |archive-date=11 March 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050311035332/http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/04-05/040515.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Dartford Crossing is the only fixed vehicle crossing of the Thames east of Greater London.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/dartford-crossing-gantries-17162/|title=Dartford Crossing to get tunnel and bridge closures as Dart Charge introduced and gantries installed near QEII bridge|first=Thom|last=Morris|work=Kent Messenger|date=14 May 2014|access-date=2 July 2014}}</ref> It is also the busiest crossing in the United Kingdom, and consequently puts pressure on M25 traffic.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dartfordthurrock-river-crossing-toll-charges-to-rise-7778496.html|title=Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing toll charges to rise|first=Peter|last=Woodman|work=The Independent|date=22 May 2012|access-date=13 July 2014}}</ref> Users of the crossing do not pay a toll, but rather a congestion charge. The signs at the crossing are the same as those deployed over the [[London congestion charge]] zone.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/dart-charge|title=Dart Charge|publisher=Transport for London|access-date=14 May 2019}}</ref>

In 2009, the Department for Transport published options for a new [[Lower Thames Crossing]] to add capacity to the Dartford Crossing, or create a new road and crossing linking to the M2 and M20 motorways.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/capacityrequirements/dartfordrivercrossing/chap1execsummary.pdf |title=Dartford River Crossing Study into Capacity Requirement |publisher=Department for Transport |date=20 April 2009 |access-date=26 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203202454/http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/capacityrequirements/dartfordrivercrossing/chap1execsummary.pdf |archive-date=3 December 2009 }}</ref> Plans for that stalled, and were cancelled in 2013 by the Mayor of London, [[Boris Johnson]], being replaced by a proposed [[Gallions Reach Crossing]]. Initially seen as a straight ferry replacement for the [[Woolwich Ferry]], it was later mooted as a bridge or tunnel.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/9009627/London-to-get-new-road-tunnel-under-River-Thames-within-decade-promises-Boris-Johnson.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/9009627/London-to-get-new-road-tunnel-under-River-Thames-within-decade-promises-Boris-Johnson.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=London to get new road tunnel under River Thames within decade, promises Boris Johnson|newspaper=[[Daily Telegraph]]|date=12 January 2012|access-date=26 June 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/andrew-adonis-boris-cant-put-off-a-new-thames-crossing-in-the-east-8653336.html|title=Boris can't put off a new Thames crossing in the east|author=[[Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis|Andrew Adonis]]|newspaper=[[London Evening Standard]]|date=11 June 2013|access-date=26 June 2013}}</ref> By 2019, the plans had changed, with the [[Docklands Light Railway]] to be extended to [[Thamesmead]] instead.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/17594843.greenwich-council-reaffirm-backing-dlr-extension-thamesmead/|title=Greenwich Council reaffirm backing of DLR extension to Thamesmead|work=News Shopper|date=24 April 2019|accessdate=6 December 2021}}</ref>