If your November delivery crosses from east London to the south bank, check the date before agreeing a collection time. Planned southbound Blackwall Tunnel closures start on 13 November 2026, and the published windows continue into Tuesday morning. A Monday delivery can therefore be affected just as much as a weekend booking.
The practical next step is to ask your carrier to check a suitable crossing for the actual van, then agree a receiving window that works with that route. Lucky Van’s scheduled delivery service helps you plan the goods, access and handover details together. Below you will find the closure calendar, the checks to make before dispatch and a message you can adapt for your recipient.
Information checked: 3 November 2026. These are planned restrictions, rather than a live traffic report. Recheck the official notices before travelling.
Check the full November closure windows
Newham Council’s published works notice lists three southbound closure periods beginning in November. It gives the usual working window as Friday at 22:00 until Tuesday at 05:00. All times below are local London time.
| Planned closure dates | Usual start | Usual finish |
|---|---|---|
| 13–17 November 2026 | Friday 13 November, 22:00 | Tuesday 17 November, 05:00 |
| 20–24 November 2026 | Friday 20 November, 22:00 | Tuesday 24 November, 05:00 |
| 27 November–1 December 2026 | Friday 27 November, 22:00 | Tuesday 1 December, 05:00 |
The notice also lists 4–8 and 11–15 December, so regular bookings need a December check too. The programme covers repairs to the tunnel structure and road surface, alongside upgrades to its systems.
These dates concern the southbound tunnel. They do not establish that every other crossing or the northbound tunnel will be available at your travel time. Check both legs if the van must return across the river.
Match the closure to your delivery
Write down the collection address, delivery address and the time the goods will actually be ready. A booking labelled “Friday delivery” tells you little about whether the crossing would happen before or after 22:00. Loading, access to the road network and other stops all sit between collection and arrival.
For a Monday booking, do not assume the normal route has reopened after the weekend. For an early Tuesday appointment, do not build the schedule around an expected 05:00 reopening without checking the latest position. A published finish time is a planning reference, not a guaranteed arrival time at your door.
Separate a preferred delivery time from a fixed appointment. If reception is open throughout the afternoon, tell the carrier. If a loading bay or installation team is available for one short slot, share that constraint before the route and price are agreed. This gives everyone a useful decision: retain the slot with a suitable route, move the appointment or choose another date.
Confirm a crossing suitable for the van
Let the carrier assess the alternative against the vehicle’s dimensions, permitted weight, load and the current road conditions. A route suggested by a car navigation app is not enough evidence that a delivery van can use it.
Silvertown is a crossing to check, rather than an automatic promise of an unrestricted diversion. Its availability and the roads connecting it to your addresses still need checking. Do not assume that moving to a different crossing will preserve the original journey time.
Rotherhithe also needs particular care. TfL’s Rotherhithe Tunnel restrictions include height and width limits; goods vehicles with a maximum gross weight above two tonnes are prohibited. The weight restriction is about the vehicle’s maximum gross weight, not simply how much furniture or stock is on board that day. An empty or lightly loaded van is therefore not automatically eligible.
This article does not prescribe a turn-by-turn diversion. Ask the carrier to confirm the route for the booked vehicle, and follow current official instructions and road signs. Share any restrictions at your own address too: a suitable river crossing does not resolve a low entrance, narrow service road or unavailable unloading bay.
Check crossing charges before agreeing costs
Silvertown should not be described as a universally free alternative. TfL applies a user charge to both Blackwall and Silvertown during charging hours, unless an exemption or full discount applies. The charge applies separately to each crossing in either direction.
According to TfL’s current charging guidance, charging hours are 06:00–22:00, with no tunnel user charge overnight from 22:00–06:00. The applicable amount depends on the vehicle and payment arrangements. Use the current vehicle checker rather than an old screenshot of a tariff.
For a booking, ask whether the quoted amount includes the road charges expected for the agreed route, and how a route or timing change would be handled. Moving a trip outside charging hours only helps if collection, safe access and receiving arrangements also work at that time. Avoid replacing a manageable charge with an unconfirmed night-time handover.
Agree collection and receiving arrangements together
A revised arrival time needs someone who can actually accept the goods. Confirm the recipient’s opening hours, unloading arrangements and a contact who can approve a change. Security staff may be able to open a gate without being authorised to sign for stock or take responsibility for furniture.
Before dispatch, put these details in one written booking brief:
- The load: item or package count, packaged dimensions, estimated weight and any handling needs.
- Collection readiness: when the complete load can be released and who will provide access.
- The receiving window: the agreed appointment, flexibility and latest acceptable arrival.
- Site access: loading bay references, entrance restrictions and any booking changes you must make.
- Decision contacts: a reachable person at both addresses and someone authorised to approve a revised plan.
- The return leg: any same-day return collection, reusable packaging or equipment that must travel back.
If the revised route no longer fits a fixed slot, resolve that before loading where possible. Collection and delivery are connected decisions: dispatching goods does not create a receiving appointment.
Prepare a clear message for delays
Give the recipient a useful update as soon as an agreed window becomes uncertain. Use the carrier’s latest information, identify what has changed and ask for a decision when needed. Avoid inventing a precise arrival time while the route is still being assessed.
Our delivery on [date], reference [reference], may be affected by the planned southbound Blackwall Tunnel closure. We are confirming the route and revised arrival window with the carrier. Can you receive the goods between [proposed times], and will the booked unloading area remain available? Please confirm the receiving contact and any appointment change required before collection.
Once the recipient agrees, send the updated details to the carrier and collection contact. If the goods have already left, agree the next step with the carrier; do not assume the driver can wait indefinitely, leave items unattended or choose another delivery address without agreement.
Make the final checks before dispatch
Revisit the council’s closure notice and TfL’s traffic status close to the journey. Ask the carrier to reassess the booked route if the restriction, vehicle, load or handover time has changed. Save the current agreed plan with your booking reference so both ends work from the same details.
For a delivery that needs planning around these closures, request a Lucky Van quote with both addresses, your dates, load details and the recipient’s available hours. Flag a fixed appointment at the start: it is one of the most useful details for assessing the trip.
