Updates
The Highway remains shut in both directions this morning as the overnight crash investigation continues.
Transport for London has published a photograph showing the closure in place on The Highway.
London Ambulance Service has been approached for comment; a response is still awaited.
Bus route D3 is being diverted because of the collision, with stops between Royal London Hospital and Tobacco Dock not served in either direction.
Commuters faced a miserable start to Thursday after the A1203 was closed in both directions near the Limehouse Link Tunnel, with an overnight crash investigation bringing long delays to roads across east London.
The Highway, one of the busiest commuter routes in and out of Docklands, remained shut to traffic on the morning of October 1 while investigators examined the scene. Crews had been at the location since the early hours, with the closure reported in place from around 6.25am and staying in force through the morning rush hour.
Congestion built quickly as the closure took hold. Queues were reported stretching back past Canary Wharf and deep into the surrounding Docklands road network, with drivers also held up on West India Dock Road towards the A13. Signed diversions were in place to guide traffic around the shut stretch, but delays were described as heavy across the area.
The Limehouse Link Tunnel runs for just over a mile beneath Limehouse and the West India Docks, linking The Highway in the west with the A13 and Aspen Way in the east. Opened in the 1990s, it remains one of the most heavily used pieces of road infrastructure in east London, carrying tens of thousands of vehicles a day – and any closure on its approaches is felt quickly across Tower Hamlets and beyond.
What we know so far
- The A1203 The Highway is closed in both directions near the Limehouse Link Tunnel.
- The closure follows an overnight incident and is in place to allow a crash investigation to be carried out.
- Long delays are affecting routes around Canary Wharf, the wider Docklands and West India Dock Road towards the A13.
- Diversions are in place for drivers travelling through the area.
Delays spread across Docklands
With the tunnel’s approaches closed, traffic was forced onto surrounding routes that were already busy with the morning peak. Motorists heading towards the A13, a major artery running out towards Essex and the east, faced some of the worst of the queues as diverted traffic added to the load.
It is not the first serious collision to snarl the capital’s roads this week. A four-vehicle crash brought chaos to the North Circular, while motorists were also caught in three-mile queues on the M25 after a car transporter crash near Chipstead. Drivers have also been reminded that smart motorway cameras never switch off, with one common myth risking fines and bans for London drivers.
Advice for drivers
Drivers travelling through east London are advised to allow significantly extra time for their journeys, consider alternative routes and check traffic information before setting off. Bus passengers should also expect disruption, with services running through the area likely to be delayed or diverted while the closure remains in force.
Anyone who does not need to travel through Limehouse is urged to avoid the area entirely until the road reopens. Closures for crash investigations can remain in place for several hours while officers complete their work, and drivers were warned the disruption could continue through the morning.
The disruption comes at one of the busiest points of the day for east London’s road network, with thousands of commuters relying on the A1203 corridor to reach offices in the City, Canary Wharf and the Docklands. Any prolonged closure is likely to have knock-on effects on surrounding routes well beyond the morning peak, and drivers planning journeys later in the day are also advised to check for updates before travelling.
Developing story
This is a developing story. Updates will follow as more information becomes available, including confirmation of when the A1203 is expected to reopen. Further details about the overnight incident remained limited at the time of publication. Motorists are advised to check the latest travel information before heading out.
