Wick Lane has been shut near Bow following a crash close to the A12, with debris reported across the carriageway.
The road is blocked between the A12/Blackwall Tunnel Approach and Dye House Lane, and motorists have been told to avoid the area while the scene is dealt with. Traffic is queueing on the surrounding routes, with delays building for drivers heading through this part of east London.
Drivers approaching from either direction are being turned back, and congestion is spreading to neighbouring junctions. The road is expected to remain shut while the debris is cleared from the carriageway.
The closure cuts off one of the busier links between the A12 corridor and the streets around Bow. Anyone making for the Blackwall Tunnel Approach or heading into the A12 is being urged to allow extra time and to follow signed diversions.
There is no confirmed time for the road to reopen, but closures of this kind can last several hours while the carriageway is cleared and made safe. Bus passengers may also face disruption, with services that normally use Wick Lane likely to be diverted until the road reopens. Commuters are being advised to check before they travel and to consider alternative routes through Bow and Bromley-by-Bow.
Motorists are also being reminded to respect the closure and not to drive around barriers or through coned-off sections, so that crews attending the scene can work safely and the road can be reopened as quickly as possible.
It has been a difficult stretch for the capital’s roads. Earlier this month, a crash on the A12 near Wanstead caused long delays towards the North Circular, while drivers on the A13 faced long queues after a crash shut lanes. The North Circular has also seen gridlock after a crash at Romford Road.
This is a developing story. Keep this page open for the latest on diversions, reopening times and the wider impact on traffic around Bow, with rolling updates in the live blog below. We will continue to monitor the situation and publish confirmed details as they arrive.
