The new strategic study will explore the best way to make further improvements that help the economy to grow between 2020 and 2025.
It is one of six strategic studies the DfT has commissioned and work is already underway on the other five.
Roads Minister Andrew Jones said: “We are making a £15 billion investment in our roads – the biggest in a generation – to deliver better journeys and put the infrastructure in place for our economy to grow.
“We have a long-term plan for Britain so we are carrying out six strategic studies to decide what further improvements we can make. We are looking at this section of the M25 as it is one of the busiest sections of the road network.”
Highways England has appointed WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, Steer Davies Gleave and GL Hearn to complete the project.
The team will prepare a case to consider further investment on this part of the M25.
The study will consider a range of different options to ensure that the local road network and public transport play their part in long term transport solutions to the issues affecting the busiest part of the strategic road network in the country.
The study is due to be completed by the end of 2016.
The other five studies are:
- Northern Trans-Pennine
- A66 and A69 corridors; Trans-Pennine tunnel - linking Manchester to Sheffield
- Manchester north-west quadrant
- M60 from junctions 8 to 18; A1 east of England
- M25 to Peterborough and the Oxford to Cambridge expressway.
