Many roads close for tomorrow’s London Marathon as it winds its way through south-east London, the East End, City and West End, following close to the Thames. Here’s a selection of shots from previous London Marathons...

East London Advertiser: London Marathon at Canary Wharf one yearLondon Marathon at Canary Wharf one year (Image: Archant)

The 26-mile route passes the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, over Tower Bridge, along The Highway to Limehouse and Canary Wharf, twice round the Isle of Dogs, back through Limehouse to Tower Hill, passing the Tower of London and The Monument, along the Embankment to Westminster and The Mall to finish in front of Buckingham Palace.

Council staff will be out during the night preparing for the Big Race with 11 miles of the course winding its way through Tower Hamlets, to make sure it is ‘ship shape’ for the 30,000 competitors pounding the streets for glory or in aid of charity.

They are inspecting roads and pavements looking for things like broken railings, potholes and uneven paving which could cause injury to the runners or spectators and are making any necessary repairs.

Teams of workers are being sent out by the Town Hall from 4am with contractors to make sure traffic management goes smoothly.

East London Advertiser: Previous Marathon passing through Shadwell... kerb litter already building upPrevious Marathon passing through Shadwell... kerb litter already building up (Image: Archant)

This involves putting 2,000 cones in place and erecting road closure barriers and diversion signs.

A final inspection of the route is being carried out tonight by the council’s highways maintenance contractors.

Street cleaning is also a big part of the preparation, and again afterwards when council contractors clear up litter from tens-of-thousands of spectators.

They also have to deal with a-quarter of a million water bottles from the drinking stations along the 11 miles through Tower Hamlets, nearly half the entire length of the Marathon.

East London Advertiser: Looking down on previous London Marathon streaming along The Highway past Shadwell BasinLooking down on previous London Marathon streaming along The Highway past Shadwell Basin (Image: Archant)

GETTING THERE —AND WHAT TO AVOID

Underground nearest stations for spectators wanting to catch a glimpse of the runners as the pass are on the Jubilee Line at Canada Water and Canary Wharf, or the District and Circle lines at Tower Hill, Monument, Canon Street, Blackfriars, Temple and Westminster.

Overground stations are at Surrey Quays, Rotherhithe and Shadwell, while there are more links on the...

DLR at Tower Gateway, Shadwell, Limehouse (also Fenchurch Street-Southend line), All Saints, West India Quay, Canary Wharf, South Quay, Crossharbour and Mudchute.

Roads being closed around The Tower and in Shadwell, Limehouse, Poplar, Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs are:

• Tower Bridge and Tower Hill

• The Highway

• Narrow Street

• Limehouse Causeway

• Westferry Road

• East Ferry Road

• Limeharbour

• Marsh Wall

• Trafalgar Way

• Poplar High Street

• Ming Street

• West India Dock Road

• Westferry Circus (lower level)