Tower Hamlets January 2026 Road Closures

Key Points

• Road closures are planned across Tower Hamlets throughout January 2026, affecting at least seven key routes in the borough.​
• Maintenance and “urban realm” works are scheduled on several streets in and around Bethnal Green, Whitechapel and Mile End, with some disruptions lasting for weeks.​
• As reported by the transport team at MyLondon, traffic in the East London borough will face disruption due to scheduled roadworks and temporary closures on multiple routes.​
• According to the live roadworks mapping service one.network, some closures will last for just one day, while others are expected to run for several weeks or up to three months.​
• Globe Road in Mile End, between Bethnal Green and Stepney Green, is due to close from 19 January to 22 January 2026, with an additional closure on 31 January 2026.​
• Multiple closures are concentrated in and around Bethnal Green and Whitechapel, including residential streets and key local distributor roads.​
• Tower Hamlets Council and its contractors are carrying out works that include highway maintenance, utilities works and public realm improvements, with diversion routes in place during closures.​
• Drivers are being urged to check one.network and the council’s roadworks and closures pages before travelling, and to allow extra time for journeys through the borough.​
• Public transport users may also experience minor delays to buses where routes intersect with the affected roads, although most bus services will continue via diversions.​
• The borough’s official notices indicate that traffic management companies will signpost diversions and access arrangements for residents and businesses during the works.​

Traffic in Tower Hamlets is set for significant disruption in January 2026 as a series of planned road closures and works come into force on at least seven key streets across the East London borough, with some restrictions lasting just one day and others running for weeks or even months. According to listings on the live roadworks portal one.network, reported by transport journalist teams at MyLondon and syndicated via Yahoo News UK, closures will affect roads in and around Bethnal Green, Whitechapel and Mile End, including a multi‑day shutdown of Globe Road between Bethnal Green and Stepney Green.​

What road closures are planned in Tower Hamlets for January 2026?

As reported by MyLondon’s transport desk, drawing on one.network’s public schedule, a cluster of works is due to begin from early January 2026, with a “full list” of road closures highlighted for local drivers. The schedule identifies at least seven routes in Tower Hamlets where temporary traffic orders will either fully close the carriageway or significantly restrict vehicle access during the month.​

Coverage shared by MyLondon through its social channels indicates that the January programme forms part of wider “maintenance and urban realm works” due to be carried out across the borough from the start of 2026, with major activity focused on central and inner‑east areas such as Bethnal Green and Whitechapel. According to the borough’s own roadworks and closures page, Tower Hamlets Council regularly publishes statutory notices for temporary traffic orders, which are then cross‑referenced on one.network and other public notice platforms.​

How long will the January 2026 road closures last?

As set out in listings collated on one.network and referenced by MyLondon and Yahoo News UK, the January closures vary significantly in length, with some programmed for a single day and others planned to remain in force for several weeks. The syndicated coverage notes that a number of roads will be subject to works that “will last three months”, although the individual article emphasises the January dates as the most immediate concern for residents and commuters.​

Public notice data for Tower Hamlets, published via the Public Notice Portal and linked from the council’s traffic and roads section, shows that multi‑week closures are not unusual when contractors are undertaking major utilities or structural works, and such orders can extend into subsequent months even where the headline disruption begins in January. These statutory notices typically specify exact start and end dates, the reason for the works and any review clauses that allow the council to extend or curtail the order if required.​

Where are the main hotspots, including Bethnal Green and Whitechapel?

According to the overview carried by MyLondon and summarised in the social media teaser for the story, “maintenance and urban realm works are set to be carried out across the east London borough from January 2026 with major works slated for central” areas of Tower Hamlets. The same trail and accompanying coverage identify “multiple road closures” in and around Bethnal Green and Whitechapel, suggesting a concentration of works in neighbourhoods that sit close to key radial routes and mixed residential‑commercial streets.​

Public notice records illustrate how previous temporary traffic orders in the borough have clustered around these districts, including restrictions on Squirries Street for cladding remediation and other closures near Bethnal Green Road to facilitate building and utilities works. While those specific notices relate to earlier time periods, they underline how Bethnal Green and Whitechapel often host substantial street‑based activity, which is now mirrored in the January 2026 programme highlighted by one.network and reprised by the local media.​

What is happening on Globe Road between Bethnal Green and Stepney Green?

As reported by the unnamed transport correspondent for MyLondon’s East London news and transport section, Globe Road in Mile End, between Bethnal Green and Stepney Green, is scheduled to be closed from 19 January to 22 January 2026. The same report states there will be “another closure on January 31”, meaning drivers who rely on the route face two separate disruption windows towards the end of the month.​

The Globe Road closure forms part of the wider set of seven planned routes identified on one.network for January, though the precise nature of the work on this corridor has not been detailed in the short social and teaser content that has been publicly reproduced. Historically, council traffic orders for nearby streets have cited reasons such as telecoms maintenance, highway resurfacing and utilities upgrades, and any formal temporary traffic order for Globe Road would be issued through similar channels and signposted on site by the council’s traffic management contractors.​

Which other roads are affected and how many routes are included?

The January 2026 programme referenced by MyLondon and Yahoo News UK states that roadworks have been “scheduled for seven different routes”, signalling a borough‑wide mix of closures rather than a single isolated site. While the accessible teaser text does not list every road by name, it frames the piece as “The list of road closures in Tower Hamlets planned for January 2026 and when it ends”, indicating that the full article itemises each affected street and presents its anticipated end date.​

Public notice compendiums for Tower Hamlets show how such lists usually include details like the street name, the specific section to be closed, the period of restriction and any accompanying diversion routes, alongside the contractor and a contact number for enquiries. In the past, examples have included closures on Abbott Road, Mowlem Street and other local routes for Thames Water works or telecoms interventions, giving a template for the kind of information residents can expect when scrutinising the January 2026 notices and one.network map entries.​

Why are these roadworks and closures taking place?

Material published on the Public Notice Portal and Tower Hamlets Council’s roadworks pages shows that temporary road closures are usually authorised “to allow works to be carried out on the public highway”, often by utility companies, specialist contractors or the council itself. Reasons listed in similar orders include clearing blockages on the telecoms network, installing or maintaining water mains, carrying out structural building works affecting the highway or delivering cladding remediation and public realm improvements.​

The social explanation shared alongside the January 2026 Tower Hamlets closures describes them as “maintenance and urban realm works”, pointing to a blend of routine upkeep and enhancement of the streetscape. This aligns with broader London‑wide programmes of junction upgrades, safety improvements and asset renewal, with city‑level transport updates from major agencies noting that such works often require lane closures or full overnight shutdowns to be completed safely.​

How will traffic, buses and residents be affected?

The MyLondon and Yahoo News UK coverage warns that “traffic in an East London borough will be disrupted” during January as a result of the scheduled closures. Drivers using corridors through Bethnal Green, Whitechapel, Mile End and surrounding areas are likely to encounter diversions, additional congestion and longer journey times, particularly on dates when major roads such as Globe Road are fully shut.​

Information from Transport for London about similar works elsewhere in the capital indicates that bus routes which pass through or near closed sections are regularly diverted, with stops moved or temporarily suspended, although services generally continue to operate. For residents and businesses on the affected streets themselves, local traffic notices normally outline how access will be managed, with arrangements for deliveries, emergency vehicles and, where possible, controlled access for people who live within the closure area.​

What official guidance and diversion routes are being provided?

Public traffic orders cited on the Public Notice Portal show that Tower Hamlets Council typically provides “Alternative Route” descriptions in each notice, setting out which surrounding roads drivers should use while the closure is in place. For example, previous notices for streets in the E1 and E2 areas have directed traffic via Bethnal Green Road, Barnet Grove, Florida Street, Cambridge Heath Road and other nearby corridors to maintain connectivity during works.​

These notices also name the responsible contractor and often provide a direct phone number or email address for queries about the works, alongside the council’s own Streetworks or Network Coordinator contact details. Residents affected by the January 2026 programme of closures are therefore likely to see on‑street signage and to receive information pointing them toward one.network, Tower Hamlets’ roadworks pages and, in some cases, letter‑drops from contractors in advance of disruptive activity.​

How can drivers and residents stay updated on Tower Hamlets closures?

As highlighted in MyLondon’s coverage of the January 2026 plans, one.network is the main online mapping service collating current and future roadworks data for Tower Hamlets and other local authorities, providing date‑specific information about closures and lane restrictions. The borough’s own “Roadworks and closures” webpage also lists current works and explains how residents can arrange or query road closures, offering a central reference point for official local information.​

In addition, statutory notices on the Public Notice Portal and other registered platforms publish the legal details of each temporary traffic order, which can be particularly useful for understanding the scope and duration of longer‑term closures that may extend beyond January. Regular London‑wide transport updates, including those circulated by TfL and covered in national outlets such as the BBC, provide broader context on how local works feed into city‑level projects and may also flag major schemes intersecting with Tower Hamlets routes.