Rush-hour drivers are facing a miserable start to the day after a crash brought the A13 into central London to a standstill near Canning Town this morning.
The incident has closed the city-bound carriageway between the Canning Town Flyover and the East India Dock Road Tunnel, cutting off one of east London’s busiest commuter arteries. Traffic was first brought to a halt shortly before 8.45am, and movement has been stopped again since around 9.05am.
The knock-on effects have been swift and severe. Tailbacks are now stretching back past Beckton and towards Dagenham, with long queues building on every approach to the closure. What should be a straightforward run into the capital has turned into a crawl, and drivers are being urged to avoid the stretch altogether where possible.
The A13 is a vital link for commuters travelling from Essex and the east of the capital into central London, so any closure during the morning peak inevitably sends congestion rippling across surrounding roads. Motorists caught up in the disruption are advised to check travel information before setting off, as delays are expected to persist while the scene is dealt with and the carriageway is cleared.
Drivers already caught in the tailbacks are being asked to stay patient and keep their distance from the vehicles around them. With the road fully shut in one direction, emergency and recovery crews are likely to need time at the scene, and there is no confirmed time yet for the carriageway to reopen.
Anyone planning to travel through east London this morning would be wise to check live traffic information before leaving and to consider alternative routes or public transport where possible. The closure sits on a key corridor for traffic heading towards the Blackwall Tunnel and the City, so the roads around Canning Town and Poplar are expected to stay busy for some time.
It is the latest in a run of disruptive incidents on the capital’s major roads. Elsewhere, a crash shut three lanes of the M25 near Heathrow and sparked major gridlock around the airport, while a fire on Whitechapel Road caused serious delays on the A11. A separate collision on the North Circular at Henlys Corner also triggered major queues in north London.
We’ll be keeping this page updated throughout the morning with the latest on the closure, the extent of the queues and any diversions put in place. Follow our live blog below for the newest developments as we get them.
