Map shows traffic hotspots in central London due to Blackwall Tunnel weekend closure | UK News

Congestion across central London is nothing new for drivers and bus passengers stuck on the roads.

While far from ideal, a warning can help mitigate the worst – and perhaps swap your vehicle for a bike or the subway if possible.

TfL has warned motorists ahead of a planned closure of part of the Blackwall Tunnel this weekend, which will cause delays at other crossings of the River Thames.

Other roads are also expected to be busier, TfL warned.

Here’s a breakdown of where to expect the worst traffic hotspots due to the closure.

When does the Blackwall Tunnel close?

The tunnel linking Poplar to North Greenwich will be closed intermittently between Friday and Monday.

Only the northbound tunnel will remain open to traffic during the closure.

Blackwall Tunnel is closed southbound Friday 15 November between 11pm and 6am on Saturday.

After that, it will be open most of Saturday during the day, until that closes again from 23.00 to 05.00 on Monday 18 September.

TfL said it will update on its website “if further closures are necessary.”

Maps show where to expect traffic

If you are traveling in a car westbound on the A13 between Canning Town and Whitechapel, prepare for congestion.

Other hotspots include the alternative crossings likely to be affected, 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 the Rotherhithe Tunnel are expected throughout the weekend.”

TfL told drivers to use the Tube and rail in central London where possible, while those traveling in the area during the closure should consider using ‘away from central London’.

TfL said it has been working with mapping apps such as Waze to ‘help ensure that drivers who regularly use the Blackwall Tunnel are alerted to the southbound closure’ and that it appears in route planning.

As for the buses, route 108 – the only bus that runs through the tunnel – will be split in two over the weekend of 16-18. November.

It will operate between Lewisham and North Greenwich and between Canning Town and Stratford. Passengers can then transfer to the Jubilee line to cross the river to complete the journey.

TfL said passengers will not be charged for additional bus journeys across the river if they start within an hour of arriving on the first bus.

It said: “TfL will also ensure that customers on route 108 who then use the Jubilee line as part of their journey at the weekend will avoid being charged for the Tube section of their journey via an automatic refund which will be dealt with after the weekend.’

Why is the Blackwall Tunnel closing?

The closure is due to ongoing works at the nearby Silvertown Tunnel – a new tunnel being built under the River Thames to connect Silvertown and the Greenwich Peninsula.

The Blackwall Tunnel is closed for new road layout on the A102.

Expected to open in 2025, it is designed to reduce congestion in the Blackwall Tunnel.

Silvertown Tunnel will cost money for motorists who are not eligible for a discount to use.

The proposed fee will 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 maximum charge would be £2.50 for motorbikes and £4 for cars and small vans between 06.00 and 10.00 northbound and southbound in the evening between 16.00 and 19.00 Monday to Friday.

Charges will also be introduced in the Blackwall Tunnel.

Recently, together with the police and the emergency services, a planned emergency drill was carried out in the tunnel, so that TfL and Riverlinx could test different tunnel systems.

In August, drivers abandoned cars in the Blackwall Tunnel after a van fire forced them to evacuate.

The historic tunnel – opened in 1987 – has attracted the interest of ghost hunters.

If they are to be believed, the tunnel is home to the phantom hitchhiker.