Delays of up to two hours were reported on the A40 going into London during the rush hour
Drivers coming into London have faced delays of up to two hours after lanes were shut in the run-up to the Olympics.
Lanes were closed to traffic on the A12, A13 and A40.
By 11:50 BST the situation on the three roads had improved, although there was still heavy traffic on the A13 and A40, with congestion on approach roads.
Transport for London had warned journeys on the roads may take “considerably longer than usual”.
A TfL spokesman confirmed to the BBC that the lanes had been closed as part of the preparation for the enforcing of the full Olympic Route Network on Wednesday.
One motorist who called BBC London from the A13 said his normal hour-long drive from Swanley to Redbridge had already taken far longer than normal and he expected it to take about two and a half hours.
- By noon the A12 was running smoothly again, however there continued to be long delays on the A13 westbound. The A40 eastbound was moving very slowly from Greenford.
There was also particularly heavy traffic on local roads in Canning Town and West Ham in east London.
Congestion was also seen in central London, with delays in Whitehall, Shaftesbury Avenue and Trafalgar Square.
The Mall is closed due to Olympic preparations and motorists told of delays in Greenwich.
And there will be additional road closures across London as the Olympic Torch continues its procession, with Croydon, Sutton, Merton and Wandsworth to be visited.
Dozens of motorists vented frustration at the delays on Twitter.
- Chris Rowe tweeted: “Traffic on A12 and A13 unbelievable this morning.”
Looking ahead to the full Olympic Route Network coming into force on Wednesday, Richard Cowley wrote: “Think this is rough – wait for the 25th.”
But there was a note of positivity – @ExposedUK tweeted: “Massive queue on the A40 this morning, but we’re still excited.”
There have been changes to 120 key junctions, with more than 1,000 sets of traffic lights rephased due to the Games.
A fine of £130 will be issued to drivers who break the Games Lanes regulations, for instance by driving in them or stopping along the route.
In a briefing before the problems began, a spokesman for Transport for London, said: “Several major routes into London will be exceptionally busy on Monday morning as the capital continues its transformation into a huge sporting and cultural venue.
“The unprecedented scale of changes to London’s roads, the arrival for the Games of 11,500 athletes, media and officials and the Torch Relay mean that there will be a significant impact on traffic in the capital.
“This impact will last for the duration of the Olympic Games.”
The changes are part of the establishment of the Olympic Route Network, which is intended to make sure athletes and officials can move around the city smoothly.
BBC
