Traffic gridlock hits SE London and Kent tonight
Traffic is at a standstill in many parts of south east London tonight in part due to events at the Dartford crossing this morning.
Two lorries collided closing the tunnel around 11am. That has caused miles of traffic problems which then fed out into Dartford, Crayford and Bexleyheath. Heavy traffic prevented recovery lorries reaching the scene.
A2 trouble
The daily A2 queue from Falconwood back to Greenwich is now meeting a tailback from the M25 back to Falconwood, creating one solid jam for many miles from the M25 back towards the Blackwall crossing at Greenwich.
That then causes issues on local roads around Greenwich.
And I say it a lot, but the planned Silvertown Tunnel would do little south of the Thames with this issue – as it would feed into the A2 which is already backed up daily and today feeling additional effects from Dartford.
Silvertown Tunnel as a crossing is not designed to do anything for the Dartford Crossing – the latter’s fix is Highways England responsibility and their solution currently is to get a new crossing built from Gravesend to Thurrock – connecting the M2/A2 with the M25 in Essex. Just need to wait another 10 years + the usual cost overruns and delays before its built and open.