THE Blackwall Tunnel badly damaged by last night’s car blaze is reopening at 7pm tonight (Monday), City hall has just confirmed. It is reopening to northbound traffic 48 hours earlier than expected
THE Blackwall Tunnel badly damaged by last night’s car blaze is reopening at 7pm tonight (Monday), City Hall has just confirmed.
It is reopening to northbound traffic 48 hours earlier than expected.
“We gave it top priority and put in several teams of engineers,” said a Transport for London spokesman this-evening.
“They’ve been working round the clock, with just a little bit of tidying up which can be done later in the week.
“But the main repairs are completed and we can get the traffic moving through tonight.”
Northbound traffic had to be diverted all day through alternative river crossings into Central London, including Tower Bridge and London Bridge, with the partial suspension of the congestion charge. But things will be back to normal by the morning.
Sunday’s fire involving a people carrier’ led to 100 motorists being trapped in the tunnel at 5.45pm 100 yards short of the tunnel northern exit at Poplar.
Two people were taken to hospital overcome by smoke, including an off-duty firefighter.
Four off-duty firefighters were on their way to report on shift when they were trapped by the Blackwall Tunnel fire with the other motorists. They dashed to the rescue when the blaze broke out.
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