Travel Chaos in and around Mile End this weekend!

Expect gridlock and some very annoyed people around Mile End this weekend.  Our strong recommendation is to stay home!

There are going to be some very major problems for those of us who use public transport AND those who drive locally due to

• CLOSURE of the underground lines (District/Circle/Hammersmith & City)
• CLOSURE of the Blackwall Tunnel and 
• CLOSURE of local roads (the latter being due to the Lovebox event in Victoria Park).

What's NOT working normally

1.  Blackwall Tunnell CLOSED due to refurbishment

Last weekend, in Blackwall Tunnel Closure Farce - The FAQs,  we reported on the chaos in Mile End and for Mile End residents caused by the inadequate signage of the Blackwall Tunnel closure.

The Blackwall Tunnel is again closed - ALL THIS WEEKEND. See here for more details

What's the betting nobody from TFL or Tower Hamlets Council has done anything to improve the signs telling people they need to divert to the Rotherhithe?

Bear in mind that local residents found they were trapped for 30 minutes+ in the Rotherhithe Tunnel last weekend - as exhaust fumes built up - because of the weight of traffic trying to divert.

Tip #1:  Don't even try and go south of the River!

Tip #2:  Get lots of fresh air into your vehicle before entering the Rotherhithe Tunnel and then shut down all air vents and windows before you enter to prevent taking in any fumes from the exhausts of other vehicles.

2.  Local Road Traffic - late night closures of Grove Road

The “LoveBox” three day event is being held in Victoria Park.  This involves very large numbers of pedestrians walking between the Park and Mile End.

Normally people attending use public transport however this year they have to cope with no District line and a bus replacement service.

This involves closing Grove Road during the mass exodus after the event.  It would appear that the road closure this year is limited to the section of Grove Road between the north side of the park and the Roman Road - click the map to see a larger version on the MERA website.

Tip #3:  Don't walk down Grove Road late on Friday, Saturday or Sunday night - unless you don't mind large crowds

3.  Underground

We're all familiar with the weekend disruptions - however if you are planning to travel this weekend 17/18 July, please check if any of the following works will affect you.

• For a map highlighting planned improvement works this weekend, please click here 
• Visit TFL website to look at ‘Travel Tools’, a range of free travel services to help you plan your journey tfl.gov.uk/traveltools

This weekend the UNDERGROUND LINES CLOSED involve:

• There is no service on the entire line due to Thameslink upgrade work at Farringdon and Crossrail work at Liverpool Street. For further details and alternative routes, please click here
  

• Between Whitechapel and Upney (eastbound) and between Barking and Whitechapel (westbound) there is no service due to signalling upgrade work. For further details and alternative routes, please click here

• Between Edgware Road and Barking there is no service due to Thameslink upgrade work. For further details and alternative routes, please click here
• Westbound Hammersmith & City line trains are not stopping at Latimer Road due to platform extension work. For further details and alternative routes, please click here

The Metropolitan Line, Northern Line and Victoria Line are also affected

Visit TFL website to look at ‘Travel Tools’, a range of free travel services to help you plan your journey tfl.gov.uk/traveltools

There are going to be lots of people going to and from the Lovebox event who will be swamping the Central Line and Central Line platforms at Mile End or trying to find rail replacement buses - or milling around Mile End trying to work out how to get home.  You should expect that the police may have to close Mile End Station if the crowds build up too much.

TIP#4  Stay at home!

TIP#5  Do not use Mile End Station if you don't like huge crowds

Click to see enlarged

• Between Gospel Oak and Barking there is no service on Saturday after 1700.
• Between Gospel Oak and Barking there is no service on Sunday.Between Richmond and Stratford there is no service on Sunday.
• For more information on these engineering works click here

a final thought

We may have drawn the short straw in the transport stakes - but think about the people living right next to the park.  Tower Hamlets Council expects them to endure the boombox of music festival after music festival week after week during the summer months so the Council can earn some money to pay the plutocrats and members' allowances (see the front page of the East London Advertiser: Tower Hamlets Mi££ionaire Pay bill)!