Transport for London (TfL) has announced closures to the southbound Blackwall Tunnel across a number of weekends in May and June to help support carriageway works.
The closures will take place across the weekends of 18-20 May, 1-3 June, 8-10 June and from 29 June to 1 July – and drivers will need to take alternative routes.
The closures will all start at 00:01 on the Saturday morning, with southbound traffic being restored by 05:00 on the Monday morning at the latest.
Northbound traffic will not be affected by the closures and will be diverted via the southbound tunnel when required
The closures are required for work to the roads south of the Blackwall Tunnel to support the new Silvertown Tunnel, which opens in 2025.
Drivers are advised to plan their routes in advance, checking before they travel so they can consider any other potential traffic impacts or restrictions, such as the height and weight limits at Rotherhithe Tunnel and Tower Bridge, both of which are outside the Congestion Charge zone. Traffic around Rotherhithe Tunnel and along the A13 Commercial Road is expected to be heavier than normal over the weekends due to the closures.
The Woolwich Ferry, which now depart every fifteen minutes, seven days a week, will also be in operation across the weekends.
Drivers of HGVs, as well as vans more than two metres in height or weighing more than two tonnes, are advised to consider routes away from central London across the weekends where possible. Additional variable messaging signs will be placed on the main roads approaching the Blackwall Tunnel.
TfL has also worked with third-party app providers, such as Waze, to help ensure drivers who regularly use the Blackwall Tunnel are alerted to the southbound closure and that the closure is shown in any route planning over the weekend.
The route 108, the only bus route that operates through the Blackwall Tunnel, will be temporarily split and terminate at Canning Town station and North Greenwich, with customers asked to use the Jubilee line to cross the river to complete their journeys with subsequent refunds available if required
Nick Fairholme, director of capital delivery – systems at TfL, said: “We are getting closer to the opening of the new Silvertown Tunnel and appreciate that these planned weekend works will have an impact on some drivers. We are doing everything in our power to limit potential disruption and complete these essential works as quickly as possible, including ensuring a northbound route through the Blackwall Tunnel is maintained throughout.”
The Silvertown Tunnel, which is within the Ultra Low Emission Zone and will be subject to a user charge, will provide a public transport-focused river crossing with zero-emission bus links across the Thames. Once open in 2025, the crossing will also reduce congestion and improve the reliability and resilience of the Blackwall Tunnel, which will improve overall air quality in the local area.
Further information about the closures can be found here.
