The reason for bends in road tunnels is to do with vision. The ambient light level is low in a tunnel. With a straight tunnel, a driver would be dazzled by the brightness of the light at the end of the tunnel, so curves are built so that the light level gradually increases.
When the first Blackwall tunnel was built in 1897 it was designed for horse-drawn carts and carriages. It had to be curved, rather than straight, simply because the horses would bolt if they saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Nowadays horses and carts have been replaced by cars and lorries.
The Rotherhithe Tunnel is a road tunnel under the River Thames in East London, connecting Limehouse in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets north of the river to Rotherhithe in the London Borough of Southwark south of the river, designated the A101.
Transport for London (TfL) is to start issuing fines for vehicles that are more than two metres (six foot six inches) wide or two metres high, or goods vehicles weighing more than two tonnes, using the Rotherhithe Tunnel.
Engineered by Alexander Binnie, the Blackwall Tunnel was built to provide a road link under the Thames between Greenwich and Poplar. When the tunnel opened fully in 1897 it was the longest underwater tunnel in the world, at 6200 feet. A second prallel tunnel was opened in 1967 to ease traffic congestion.
Pedestrians have been banned from using the Blackwall Tunnels since May 1969. The London Buses route 108 (Stratford–Lewisham) runs through the tunnels and there are bus priority gates at both entrances to allow buses to avoid traffic congestion.
There are currently no severe delays reported by TfL for the Blackwall Tunnel.
The tunnel is closed every Monday night routinely to carry out regular maintenance operations which include testing emergency equipment, changing lighting units, cleaning the tunnel lining, sweeping the carriageway and footways, structural inspections and emergency repairs.
Is the Blackwall Tunnel open? The tunnel is open and toll-free 24 hours a day, unless the authorities have concerns over driver safety in the event of a fire, crash, or an unauthorised road user using the tunnels.
There are no tolls at the Blackwall tunnel.
The southbound Blackwall Tunnel will be closed all day on Sunday so major repairs can be carried out to fire safety equipment. Traffic will be diverted away from the tunnel between 00.01 on Sunday and 05.00 next Monday while crews install a new heat detection system above the carriageway.
The Limehouse Link Tunnel is currently being closed 5 nights a week between 22.00 and 05.00 hours for the installation of a public address loudspeaker system that will enhance public safety in the tunnel in the event of incidents or emergencies.
London Bridge reopens after six months of repairs but cars still banned from daytime crossings. L ondon Bridge was today reopening after six months of repairs – but cars, minicabs, vans and lorries are banned from crossing it during the day. Pedestrians will continue to be able to cross the bridge at all times.
The northbound Blackwall tunnel will remain open throughout. TfL regularly maintains its tunnels to ensure that they are safe to use. Upgrades to the Blackwall Tunnel's fire detection system are needed to ensure they work optimally in the event of a fire.
Please note that all of Kenhire's commercial vehicles (even the smallest vans) have a GVW over 2000kg, so none of our vans, dropsides or tippers are permitted through the tunnel. Drivers of vehicles that do not meet these restrictions should use Tower Bridge or the Blackwall Tunnel.
The Congestion Charge is based on number plate recognition:
- Cameras read your vehicle number plate as you enter, drive around and leave the zone.
- Once your number plate has been matched to the database, a check will run to see if you've paid.
The number of PCNs issued for contravention code 52g (Failing to comply. with a prohibition on certain types of vehicle)(goods vehicles exceeding. max gross weight indicated).
Whitehall and surrounding roads were closed by police as officers investigated a “suspicious item”. The Metropolitan Police said its officers were called at 12.01pm. Roads around the thoroughfare were blocked before investigators gave the all-clear at about 1pm.
