Motorists should brace for traffic delays in London over the weekend – and one tunnel closure is behind it.
Congestion across central London is nothing new to drivers and bus passengers stuck on the roads.
While it is far from ideal, a warning can help to mitigate the worst of it – and maybe swap your vehicle for a bike or the Underground if possible.
TfL has given a heads up to motorists ahead of a planned closure of part of the Blackwall Tunnel over the weekend which is set to cause delays at other River Thames crossings.
Other roads are expected to be busier too, TfL warned.
Here is a roundup of where to expect the worst traffic hotspots due to the closure.
When will Blackwall Tunnel close?
The tunnel connecting Poplar with North Greenwich will be closed intermittently between Friday and Monday.
Only the northbound tunnel will remain open for traffic during the closure.
Blackwall Tunnel is shut southbound on .
It will then be open for most of the Saturday daytime, until it .
TfL said it will update on its website ‘if further closures are needed.’
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Map shows where to expect traffic
If you’re travelling in a car westbound on the A13 between Canning Town and Whitechapel, prepare for congestion.
Other hotspots include the alternative crossings which are likely to be rammed, including Tower Bridge, Rotherhithe Tunnel and Woolwich Ferry.
TfL said: ‘During weekend closures, we expect roads and alternative river crossings in east and central London to be extremely busy with long delays to your journey.
‘Queues along the A13 westbound between Canning Town and Whitechapel and on the approaches to Rotherhithe Tunnel throughout the weekend are expected.’
TfL told drivers to use Tube and rail in central London where possible while those who need to drive in the area during the closure should consider using ‘away from central London.’
TfL said it has worked with map app provides such as Waze to ‘help ensure drivers who regularly use the Blackwall Tunnel are alerted to the southbound closure’ and that it shows in route planning.
As for the buses, the route 108 – the only bus that operates through the tunnel – will be split into two across the weekend of November 16-18.
It will operate between Lewisham and North Greenwich and between Canning Town and Stratford. Passengers can then change onto the Jubilee line to cross the river to complete the journey.
TfL said passengers won’t be charged for any additional bus journeys on the other side of the river if they begin within an hour of touching in on the first bus.
It said: ‘TfL will also ensure that customers of the route 108 who then use the Jubilee line as part of their journey over the weekend will avoid being charged for the Tube section of their journey via an automatic refund which will be processed after the weekend.’
Why is Blackwall Tunnel closing?
The closure is due to ongoing works in the nearby Silvertown Tunnel – a new tunnel being built under the Thames to connect Silvertown and the Greenwich Peninsula.
Blackwall Tunnel is shut for new road layout on the A102.
It is expected to open in 2025 and it is designed to reduce congestion in the Blackwall Tunnel.
Silvertown Tunnel will cost money for motorists not eligible for a discount to use.
The proposed charge would apply between 6am and 10pm seven days a week, with a standard off-peak rate set at £1.50 for cars, motorbikes and small vans.
The peak charge would be £2.50 for motorbikes, and £4 for cars and small vans between 6am to 10am northbound, and southbound in the evening between 4pm and 7pm Monday to Friday.
Charges will be introduced in Blackwall Tunnel as well.
Recently, a planned emergency drill took place in the tunnel together with the police and the emergency services so that TfL and Riverlinx could test different tunnel systems.
In August, drivers abandoned cars in Blackwall Tunnel after a van fire forced them to evacuate.
The historical tunnel – opened in 1987 – has piqued the interest of ghost hunters.
If they are to be believed, the tunnel is a home to the phantom hitchhiker.
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