The Blackwall Tunnel will be CLOSED to southbound traffic this upcoming weekend.

The closure to the southbound tunnel is to allow TfL to carry out work on a new road layout on the A102, as part of the new Silvertown Tunnel project, with northbound traffic diverted via the normal southbound tunnel.

The closures will be from 12.01am on Saturday, March 23 and will be reopened at 5am on Monday, March 25.

The tunnel will remain open to northbound traffic - at times there may be diversions on the approach, or northbound traffic may be diverted through the southbound tunnel.

If there is any delay to works across this upcoming weekend, an additional weekend closure may be needed in April.

Maintenance closures of the tunnel in both directions will continue as normal and take place between 1am and 8am Sunday mornings.

TfL says it will keep its website updated if further weekend closures are needed.

The Silvertown Tunnel aims to provide a public transport-focused river crossing with zero-emission bus links across the Thames.

Once it opens in 2025, the crossing, which is ULEZ compliant and will be subject to a user charge, aims to “reduce congestion and improve the reliability and resilience of the Blackwall Tunnel”, according to TfL.

Other dates for upcoming closures are:

• Saturday, April 13 to Monday, April 15

Across the weekends, the Blackwall Tunnel will be closed for southbound traffic and drivers will need to take alternative routes.

Northbound traffic will not be affected by these closures as traffic will be diverted through the southbound Blackwall Tunnel.

During these weekend closures, TfL expect roads and alternative river crossings in east and central London to be “extremely busy” with long delays to journeys.

Queues along the A13 westbound between Canning Town and Whitechapel and on the approaches to Rotherhithe Tunnel throughout the weekend are expected.

Drivers are advised to plan their routes in advance, checking before they travel so they can consider any traffic impacts or restrictions.

The route 108, the only bus route that operates through the Blackwall Tunnel, will be split in two, operating between both Lewisham and North Greenwich and between Canning Town and Stratford.