HL Deb 30 July 1997 vol 582 cc67-72WA
Lord Braine of Wheatley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will state the dates on which the Blackwall Tunnel has been closed or partly closed this year.

Baroness Hayman

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the noble Lord.

Letter to Lord Braine of Wheatley from the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. L. Haynes, dated 30 July 1997. The Minister for Roads has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the dates on which the Blackwall Tunnel has been closed or partly closed this year. The layout of the tunnels means they can only be maintained safely by closing them to traffic. The northbound and southbound bores have been subject to closure or restrictions on 109 separate occasions since 1 January 1997. A table showing the dates and times of the closures is attached. In addition to the regular planned maintenance carried out on a weekly basis at night and the three consecutive weekend maintenance closures at six-monthly intervals, the northbound tunnel is currently subject to additional daily and night-time closures to facilitate construction of the over-height vehicle escape ramp. This is scheduled to be opened in late August 1997 and will considerably reduce the delays when high vehicles are trapped at the northbound tunnel approach. You may also be interested to note that sadly both Blackwall Tunnels were closed for a period during the morning of Saturday 26 July following a fatality in the southbound tunnel. A motor cyclist was struck by a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction although the exact circumstance are not yet known. The motor-cyclist unfortunately died from the injuries sustained.

Blackwall Tunnels planned closures 1997 (as at 24 July 1997)
Northbound Tunnel
Date Reason for closing Time closed
07 January Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
04 January Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
21 January Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
28 January Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
04 February Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
11 February Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
18 February Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
25 February Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
04 March Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
11 March Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
18 March Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
25 March Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
1 April Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
08 April Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
15 April Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
22 April Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
29 April Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
06 May Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs

Blackwall Tunnels planned closures 1997 (as at 24 July 1997)
Northbound Tunnel
Date Reason for closing Time closed
13 May Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
20 May Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
27 May Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
03 June Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
10 June Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
17 June Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
24 June Normal weekly maintenance works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
30 June SIAC closure for escape ramp works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
01 July Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
07 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
08 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
11 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works Closed 22:00 hrs
12 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works Closed all day
13 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works Re-opens 15:00 hrs
14 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
15 July Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00
18 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works Closed 22:00 hrs

Note: SIAC are the contractors working to construct escape ramps for over-height vehicles at the tunnel entrance.

19 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works Closed all day
20 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works Re-opens 15:00 hrs
21 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
22 July Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
24 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
25 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works Closed 22:00 hrs
26 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works Closed all day
27 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works Re-opens 15:00 hrs
28 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
29 July Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
30 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
31 July SIAC closure for escape ramp works 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs

Note: No other notified dates from SIAC after this.

05 August Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
12 August Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs

Blackwall Tunnels planned closures 1997 (as at 24 July 1997)
Northbound Tunnel
Date Reason for closing Time closed
19 August Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
26 August Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
02 September Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
09 September Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
16 September Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
23 September Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
30 September Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
07 October Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
14 October Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
21 October Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
28 October Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
4 November Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
11 November Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
18 November Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
25 November Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
02 December Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs
09 December Normal maintenance closure 20:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs

Southbound Tunnel (Maintenance Works)

Normal twice weekly lane closures throughout year— 00:00 hrs to 05:00 hrs.

Tunnel remains open on one lane working:

  • 01 January
  • 02 January
  • 08 January
  • 09 January
  • 15 January
  • 16 January
  • 22 January
  • 23 January
  • 29 January
  • 30 January
  • 05 February
  • 06 February
  • 12 February
  • 13 February
  • 19 February
  • 20 February
    • WA 71
  • 26 February
  • 27 February
  • 05 March
  • 06 March
  • 12 March
  • 13 March
  • 19 March
  • 20 March
  • 26 March
  • 27 March
  • 02 April
  • 03 April
  • 09 April
  • 10 April
  • 16 April
  • 17 April
  • 23 April
  • 24 April
  • 30 April
  • 01 May
  • 07 May
  • 08 May
  • 14 May
  • 15 May
  • 21 May
  • 22 May
  • 28 May
  • 29 May
  • 04 June
  • 05 June
  • 11 June
  • 12 June
  • 18 June
  • 19 June
  • 25 June
  • 26 June
  • 02 July
  • 03 July
  • 09 July
  • 10 July
  • 16 July
  • 06 August
  • 07 August
  • 13 August
  • 14 August
  • 20 August
    • WA 72
  • 21 August
  • 27 August
  • 28 August
  • 03 September
  • 04 September
  • 10 September
  • 11 September
  • 17 September
  • 18 September
  • 24 September
  • 25 September
  • 01 October
  • 02 October
  • 08 October
  • 09 October
  • 15 October
  • 16 October
  • 22 October
  • 23 October
  • 29 October
  • 30 October
  • 05 November
  • 06 November
  • 12 November
  • 13 November
  • 19 November
  • 20 November
  • 26 November
  • 27 November
  • 03 December
  • 04 December
  • 10 December
  • 11 December

Following are complete closures of southbound tunnel:

Date Reason for closing Time closed
01 March (Sat) Twice yearly planned maintenance Closure 21:00 to 05:00 hrs
08 March (Sat) do. do.
15 March (Sat) do. do.
26 September (Sat) do. do.
27 September (Sat) do. do.
03 October (Fri) do. do.
04 October (Sat) do. do.
10 October (Fri) do. do.
11 October (Sat) do. do.