The M23 closure has turned what should be a simple drive into something that looks more like a giant car park. If you’re planning to head anywhere near Gatwick Airport today, you might want to grab an extra coffee and settle in for the long haul.
But here’s what’s really happening on one of the UK’s busiest motorways – and why your satnav might be having a complete meltdown right now.
The M23 Closure Nobody Saw Coming
Police incidents don’t exactly send out calendar invites, and that’s exactly what’s caught thousands of drivers off guard. The latest M23 closure has shut down multiple junctions, creating a domino effect that’s rippling through Surrey and West Sussex.
Between junctions 8 and 9, traffic has ground to a complete halt. That’s the stretch that connects directly to the M25 and leads straight to Gatwick Airport – probably the worst possible place for any major disruption.
“All lanes are closed,” according to the latest traffic updates, with officials unable to give a clear reopening time. When authorities can’t even estimate when things might get back to normal, you know it’s serious.
What’s Actually Causing This M23 Closure Chaos
The current M23 closure stems from what’s being described as a “police incident” – which in traffic speak usually means something significant has happened that needs proper investigation. Unlike roadworks that you can plan around, these kinds of closures happen without warning and can last for hours.
National Highways has been forced to completely shut sections of the motorway in both directions. When they close both ways, it’s not just about the immediate area – it creates a traffic shockwave that affects routes for miles around.
The timing couldn’t be worse either. This M23 closure is happening during peak travel times when commuters, airport passengers, and freight lorries all compete for the same stretched road space.
Where All Those Cars Are Going Instead
Here’s where things get really interesting. When the M23 closure blocks the main route, roughly 50,000 vehicles per day need to find somewhere else to go. They don’t just disappear – they all pile onto smaller roads that were never designed to handle that volume.
The A23 is taking a beating as drivers try to find alternative routes to Brighton and the south coast. Local roads through Redhill, Reigate, and surrounding areas are experiencing traffic levels that would normally be spread across multiple routes.
Airport passengers are probably having the toughest time. The M23 closure cuts off one of the main arteries to Gatwick, meaning people are either missing flights or having to leave ridiculously early to account for the delays.
The Gatwick Connection Everyone’s Talking About
You can’t talk about any M23 closure without mentioning Gatwick Airport. This motorway isn’t just another road – it’s the main lifeline for one of the UK’s busiest airports.
During a typical day, thousands of passengers rely on the M23 to get to their flights. Hotel shuttles, private cars, taxis, and even some bus services use this route as their primary access point to the airport terminals.
When there’s an M23 closure like this, it doesn’t just affect people driving to catch flights. Airport staff, cargo deliveries, fuel trucks, and all the behind-the-scenes operations that keep Gatwick running also get caught up in the chaos.
The Real Cost of M23 Closure Disruption
Traffic delays aren’t just about being late – they have real economic consequences. Every hour that the M23 closure continues, it’s costing businesses, passengers, and the wider economy serious money.
Freight companies are seeing their carefully planned delivery schedules torn apart. Online shopping orders that should arrive today might not make it until tomorrow. Fresh food deliveries to supermarkets get delayed, creating potential shortages.
For ordinary drivers, it’s fuel costs, parking fees if they’re stuck somewhere longer than planned, and the stress of not knowing when they’ll actually reach their destination.
What National Highways Aren’t Telling You
The official updates about this M23 closure are pretty basic – road closed, find alternative routes, expect delays. But there’s more to the story that drivers should know.
Emergency services need clear access during any police incident, which is why closures like this are so complete. They can’t just close one lane and hope for the best – the entire area needs to be secured.
The knock-on effects of an M23 closure also create secondary incidents. When traffic backs up on smaller roads, you get more fender-benders, overheating vehicles, and frustrated drivers making poor decisions.
When Will This M23 Closure Actually End?
The million-pound question that everyone’s asking – and unfortunately, there’s no clear answer. Police incidents are unpredictable by nature, and reopening a major motorway isn’t just about moving whatever caused the problem.
The road surface needs to be checked for damage, any debris cleared, and sometimes repairs made before traffic can flow again. Even after the initial incident is resolved, it can take hours for traffic to return to normal patterns.
Previous M23 closure incidents have lasted anywhere from two hours to most of a working day. The best advice is to assume it’ll take longer than you hope and plan accordingly.
Smart Alternatives During M23 Closure
If you absolutely must travel during this M23 closure, there are some routes that might work better than others. The key is thinking like the traffic system does – where will cars naturally flow?
The M25 is already operating near capacity, so adding displaced M23 traffic makes it even slower. But junction 6 onwards might still be your best bet for getting south.
The A24 through Dorking and down to the coast is another option, though expect it to be busy with other drivers having the same idea. Sometimes the longer route ends up being faster when the main roads are blocked.
The Bottom Line on Today’s M23 Closure
Nobody plans for a major M23 closure, but they happen more often than you might think. This stretch of motorway carries enormous amounts of traffic every day, and when something goes wrong, the effects are felt for hours and miles around.
The best thing you can do is stay flexible, check traffic updates regularly, and don’t assume your normal journey time applies today. Whether you’re heading to catch a flight, get to work, or just trying to get home, patience is going to be your best friend.
Keep an eye on official traffic updates, and remember that while this M23 closure is causing major headaches today, the road will eventually reopen and traffic will get back to normal.
