§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to what notice was given to the Metropolitan police concerning the closure of the southbound bore of the Blackwall tunnel on Saturday and Sunday 4 and 5 March; what steps the commissioner took to minimise congestion to traffic in east London and as to how many additional police officers, vehicles, or motor cyclists were deployed in order to ameliorate predictable traffic problems.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI am informed by the Commissioner that the two bores of the Blackwall tunnel are closed for essential maintenance, individually and on separate occasions, at certain times of the year agreed by the Department of Transport, the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Greenwich and tunnel management. The police are informed well in advance of the dates of closure, as are the local media and the motoring organisations, and the approach roads are signed in advance.
The congestion arising from the closure of the southbound bore on 4–5 March was exacerbated by a number of other incidents in the area which could not have been foreseen. The situation was handled by local officers and no additional manpower was deployed.