This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Commuters across north London are facing severe disruption this morning after an emergency services incident forced the closure of the A10 at Stamford Hill in both directions.
The busy route is shut between Northwold Road and Manor Road, close to Stoke Newington station on the London Overground. The closure was first reported shortly after 8am on Thursday, right in the middle of the morning rush hour.
Details of what has happened remain scarce. Emergency crews are understood to be dealing with an incident at the scene, but no official explanation for the shutdown has been given and there is no word yet on when the road might reopen.
Live updates
12:21 — A10 reopens in both directions
The A10 at Stamford Hill is back open in both directions and traffic is starting to ease after this morning’s emergency services incident. Drivers should still allow alittle extra time while the diverted traffic clears.
12:06 — Man struck by car outside Stoke Newington station
A man is understood to have been struck by a car outside Stoke Newington Overground station and taken to a major trauma centre as a priority. The road remains shut in both directions while emergency crews deal with the scene.
11:35 — Buses lining up at Manor Road junction
There are reports of major congestion around the closed section of the A10, with London buses said to be lining up at the junction of Manor Road, Belfast Road and Stamford Hill while police guard the scene. We are still working to confirm the impact on bus services and will update this blog as soon as we know more.
11:34 — A10 ‘unusually quiet’ as closure bites
The AA says the closed stretch of the A10 is ‘unusually quiet’ back through Stoke Newington, with the road shut in both directions between Northwold Road and Manor Road near Stoke Newington station. A witness at the scene says blocked routes are causing havoc for London buses, with traffic backing up towards Stoke Newington High Street and Morrisons.
11:16 — Cordon at Stoke Newington junction
A police cordon is now in place across the entire junction by Stoke Newington Overground station, blocking multiple directions and causing havoc for London buses through the area. The first picture from the scene has also been published.
11:14 — Car crash confirmed
The emergency incident that has closed the A10 has been confirmed as a car crash. The road remains shut in both directions while emergency crews deal with the scene.
08:19 — Congestion building
Queueing traffic is stretching back towards Stoke Newington High Street and past the Morrisons supermarket, as drivers caught behind the closure hunt for alternative routes through the rush.
08:19 — Buses on diversion
Several bus routes that would normally use this stretch of the A10 are being diverted while the incident is dealt with. Passengers should expect delays and check their journeys before setting off.
08:19 — Where is closed?
The closure covers the A10 Stamford Hill in both directions between Northwold Road and Manor Road, right by Stoke Newington station. It is one of the main arteries carrying traffic in and out of this part of the capital.
08:19 — What is happening?
An emergency services incident is causing what is being described as major disruption on the route. The exact nature of the incident has not been confirmed.
08:18 — Good morning
Welcome to our live blog. We will bring you the latest developments on this incident as soon as we have them.
What drivers should do
Motorists are being urged to avoid the Stamford Hill area if at all possible and to allow plenty of extra time for journeys across north and north-east London this morning.
With the shutdown landing at the peak of the rush hour, surrounding roads are expected to clog up quickly as traffic diverts. Routes through Stoke Newington town centre are already reported to be queuing, and delays are likely to ripple outwards as the morning wears on.
Anyone who normally relies on buses along the A10 corridor should also plan ahead, with several services diverted away from the closed section until the incident is cleared.
A key route at the worst possible time
The A10 is one of north London’s most important roads, funnelling traffic between the City, Hackney, Tottenham and Hertfordshire. The stretch through Stamford Hill is typically bumper-to-bumper even on a normal weekday morning, so a full closure in both directions was always going to cause serious problems.
Stoke Newington station, served by the London Overground, sits close to the closed section, and the surrounding streets — including Northwold Road and Manor Road themselves — are residential roads ill-suited to soaking up diverted traffic.
What happens next
Emergency services will need to complete their work at the scene before the road can be handed back to traffic, and at this stage there is no indication of how long that might take.
We will continue to follow this story throughout the morning, with updates on the closure, the knock-on disruption and any official statements as they come in.
More disruption across the capital
This is far from the first time London drivers have been caught out by a sudden full closure. A crash recently shut the High Road in Tottenham in both directions, leaving a man to be rushed to a major trauma centre.
Roads around St Pancras were also closed after a police incident that was later confirmed as a false alarm.
