East London ground to a halt this morning after two major Thames crossings — Tower Bridge and the Blackwall Tunnel — were closed, causing widespread travel disruption and lengthy tailbacks.

Tower Bridge was shut down after a man climbed onto the railings, prompting a rapid response from emergency services. Photos shared on social media showed the man perched high above the roadway, with police and emergency personnel at the scene attempting to negotiate with him.

@ChrisdyannUribe: “Tower Bridge is currently shut down as a person climbs on the railings.”

Meanwhile, the Blackwall Tunnel was closed eastbound shortly after 8.30am following a lorry crash, compounding the traffic chaos. Although there were no reported injuries, the collision triggered gridlock stretching back to the A12 in Hackney, with drivers stuck in standstill traffic for hours.

The closures have left commuters and motorists scrambling for alternative routes, with many public transport services also experiencing knock-on delays due to the heavy congestion.

This latest disruption follows another recent high-profile incident over the weekend, where a man climbed Big Ben’s Elizabeth Tower holding a Palestinian flag and remained there for more than 16 hours before being arrested.

Authorities have yet to confirm how long Tower Bridge or the Blackwall Tunnel will remain closed, but delays are expected to continue well into the afternoon.