THOUSANDS of home-going commuters have been hit by a massive gridlock across nearly all of East London tonight because of a police incident. Traffic gridlock across East London as police surround house where a man was threatening to jump from the roof
THOUSANDS of home-going commuters have been hit by a massive gridlock across nearly all of East London tonight because of a police incident.
Police were called in by neighbours this-afternoon when they spotted a man threatening to jump from the rooftop of a house along Grove Green Road in Leytonstone, a major traffic route heading east towards Essex.
Negotiators have been trying to negotiate with the man since 2.30 this afternoon and are still at the house more than five hours later.
Traffic built up back onto the A12 across Hackney Marshes, so police closed slip roads at Hackney Wick and Bow Bridge back to the Blackwall Tunnel Approach.
That caused gridlock in Mile End, Poplar, Bethnal Green, Whitechapel, Hackney and as far as the City.
“We are concerned for the man’s welfare after all this time,” Scotland Yard said tonight. “We are unable to say at present how the incident began before police were called. It is being investigated.”
Traffic stuck on the A12 going east had to be diverted along Ruckholt Road, which caused further jams through Leytonstone. Transport chiefs are advising any commuters still trying to get home to go by rail or Underground.
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