WOKING MP Jonathan Lord says the announcement of further work on the concrete surface of the M25 between junctions 10 and 11 is “absolutely fantastic news”.

The repairs that have been taking place during night-time lane closures on the motorway have also been welcomed by borough and county councillor Amanda Boote, who set up the M25 Resurfacing Action Group last year.

Mr Lord told the News & Mail: “The concrete section of the M25 is receiving more repair work to the joints between the concrete slabs, both now and over the summer.”

“This will reduce the noise levels substantially for drivers and, even more importantly, for those residents who live nearby. But the long-term goal remains the complete replacement of this noisy concrete section of the motorway.

Cllr Boote said: “We are all really pleased that the roads minister, Baroness Vere, has acknowledged the issues and that Highways England are now repairing the joints between junctions 10 and 11.

“Ideally, we want this piece of work to include all of the joints that were not repaired last November, as this work will have to cover us until the current trial on the M1 which looks at new possible surfaces is complete in 2022.

“Only once that trial is complete will we then potentially achieve our goal of a complete resurface.”

The latest repairs by Highways England follow the Westminster Hall debate that Mr Lord secured and introduced on 17 March, and the petition handed in to 10 Downing Street by Cllr Boote and other action group members, Mr Lord and the MP for Runnymede and Weybridge, Dr Ben Spencer.

The debate was led by Mr Lord and Dr Spencer. Mr Lord highlighted the noise pollution which affects “several thousand of my constituents who live in Byfleet, West Byfleet, and Pyrford”.

He noted: “Between junctions 10 and 11 the surface of the motorway consists of concrete blocks. The surface is noisy and there are also gaps between each of the concrete blocks, and the buffeting as a vehicle’s tyres pass over these gaps adds substantially to the overall noise levels.”

Baroness Vere told Mr Lord in a letter: “The department and Highways England appreciate that noise is a concern for residents living close to the M25 between junctions 10 and 11.

“The work completed last year on the concrete sections between the junctions focused on joints that were in the poorest condition at the time. This work was completed to the required industry standards and should have helped to reduce the noise level for residents.”

She added that more joints would be reinstated along this section in late spring 2020.

Cllr Boote, an Independent who represents Byfleet and West Byfleet on Woking Borough Council and Surrey County Council, added: “We have campaigned very hard since I set the group up last June, collecting in thousands of signatures on two petitions

“This has now finally resulted in some work is actually starting to happen, which we are all very delighted about.”