The Joys of Travelling in London

Today one of my colleagues was stuck in a traffic jam for three hours. She was on a bus. She had to change buses three times because each time the one she was on got too far behind schedule the passengers had to get off so it could turn around and go back. The problem was here:

This is the end of one of the two tunnels that make up the Blackwall Tunnel. The first tunnel was built in 1892-97, the second one opened in 1967. They connect the north and south banks of the Thames towards the east of London.

At 12.30 on Tuesday morning, a police car going through the tunnel sent into a skid and mounted the pavement. The driver discovered that there was a one-and-a-half mile diesel spill going through the tunnel which had damaged the surface of the road so badly that it was going to have to be resurfaced before it could reopen. It may not be ready before tomorrow morning's rush hour.

So by the time my colleague gets home, she will bprobably have to turn round and start on her way back in again to be in time for work tomorrow.