A2 Old Dover Road Traffic: Live CCTV for Road Incidents & Closures
The A2 is the main route out of South East London towards Kent, Dover and the Channel Tunnel, carrying heavy freight traffic alongside commuters. This guide tracks live conditions along the Old Dover Road, useful for checking before a longer journey rather than just the local commute.
A2 — All Camera Feeds
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Overview: The A2 in London
The A2 is the main road from central London to Dover, the Channel Tunnel and Kent. Within Greater London, it runs from Borough High Street in Southwark through New Cross, Kidbrooke, Eltham and Bexley as the Old Dover Road and then Rochester Way. It carries a significant mix of lorries heading to or from the Channel ports, commuters from South-East London and Kent, and local traffic. The A2 is also notable for its tunnel connections — the Blackwall Tunnel lies just to the north, and A2 traffic frequently diverts via the tunnel during incidents on the M25 Dartford Crossing.
Where and When Congestion Builds
The A2's worst bottleneck in London is the New Cross/Deptford area, where the road narrows and passes through a dense urban environment with numerous junctions and pedestrian crossings. This section backs up from around 07:30 on weekdays. The approach to Blackwall Tunnel from the A2 side is also a consistent congestion point during incidents or tunnel closures — diversions from the Dartford Crossing or M20 can flood the A2 with HGV traffic. The Eltham and Kidbrooke sections are generally freer but still experience regular rush-hour delays.
⚠ Worst times on the A2 (weekdays)
Morning peak: 07:30–09:30 · Evening peak: 16:30–19:00
Outside these windows, the A2 typically flows much more freely. Saturdays can be busy between 11:00–15:00.
Traffic Heatmap by Time of Day
Typical congestion levels on the A2 by hour. Green = free-flowing, red/orange = heavy delays.
| 00–05 | 05–07 | 07–08 | 08–09 | 09–10 | 10–12 | 12–14 | 14–16 | 16–17 | 17–18 | 18–19 | 19–21 | 21–24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon–Thu | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ |
| Friday | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ |
| Saturday | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ |
| Sunday | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ | ▓ |
Journey Planning Tips
Avoid New Cross 07:30–09:30
The New Cross gate area is the worst pinch point — plan arrivals before 07:15 or after 10:00 on weekdays.
Check Dartford Before You Travel
A2 traffic multiplies when the Dartford Crossing is congested or closed. Always check NHIS traffic updates before heading to Kent.
Use A20 as Alternative
The A20 through Sidcup is a viable parallel route to Kent, avoiding the worst of the A2 New Cross section.
Monitor Blackwall Tunnel
Blackwall Tunnel incidents send diversionary traffic onto the A2. Check the tunnel cameras before committing to this route.
Alternative Routes
If the A2 is heavily congested, these alternatives are worth considering:
- A20 Sidcup Road — runs parallel south of the A2, useful for Eltham/Sidcup destinations
- A205 South Circular — useful for cross-South London journeys without committing to the A2
- M25 and M2 — for Kent destinations, the motorway route via Dartford is generally faster outside rush hours
ULEZ and Charges
💷 Charges on the A2
The entire A2 within Greater London is inside the ULEZ. There is no Congestion Charge on the A2. The ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, every day. Non-compliant vehicles pay £12.50 per day. Check your vehicle at tfl.gov.uk/ulez.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the A2 connect to the Channel Tunnel?
The A2 is the main surface road route towards Dover and the Channel Tunnel terminal at Folkestone. From London, the A2 leads to the M2 motorway, which continues to Dover and then to the A20 which connects to the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone. For the Channel Tunnel, most sat-navs will route via the M25/M20 combination.
Why is the A2 at New Cross so slow?
New Cross is a dense urban area with significant pedestrian activity, multiple bus routes, and a complex junction layout around New Cross Gate station. The road narrows compared to the wider dual-carriageway sections further south-east, and the concentration of bus stops and pedestrian crossings gives general traffic relatively short green phases.
Is the A2 inside the ULEZ?
Yes — the entire A2 within Greater London falls within the ULEZ boundary. There is no Congestion Charge on the A2. Non-compliant petrol cars (pre-2006) and diesel cars (pre-2015) pay £12.50 per day. Check your vehicle at tfl.gov.uk/ulez.
What is the Rochester Way Relief Road?
The Rochester Way Relief Road is a 1990s-built dual carriageway running parallel to the A2 through Kidbrooke and Eltham, designed to reduce congestion on the older A2 road. It is toll-free and provides a faster route through this section, but it rejoins the A2 before the Blackwall Tunnel approach.