London Marathon 2021: Road closures, timings and everything else you need to know

40,000 people will run the marathon on Sunday 3 October

Author: Ellis MaddisonPublished 30th Sep 2021

This weekend more than 40,000 participants will compete in the 41st London Marathon, a 26.2-mile long run around the streets of the London.

Roads will be closed across the weekend, and there's plenty of other key information that spectators, participants and people living in the area might need to know.

All road closures

The race, which takes place on Sunday 3 October, will force roads to be closed from Friday 1 to Monday 4. Below is the full list of the roads which will be closed over Marathon weekend.

Roads closed from 4am until 1pm on Sunday 3 October:

  • Charlton Way (Red route start)
  • Shooters Hill Road (Blue Route start)

Roads Closed from 7am until 1pm Sunday 3 October:

  • Little Heath
  • Charlton Park Lane
  • Artillery Place
  • John Wilson Street

Roads Closed from 7am until 2pm Sunday 3 October:

  • Woolwich Church Street
  • Woolwich Road

Roads Closed from 7am until 3pm Sunday 3 October:

  • Trafalgar Road
  • Creek Road

Roads Closed from 8am until 4pm Sunday 3 October:

  • Evelyn Street
  • Surrey Quays Road
  • Salter Road
  • Brunel Road
  • Jamaica Road

Roads Closed from 8am until 7pm Sunday 3 October:

  • Tower Bridge
  • The Highway (South Side)
  • Narrow Street
  • Westferry Road
  • East Ferry Road
  • Marsh Wall
  • North Colonnade
  • Poplar High Street
  • Commercial Road
  • The Highway (north side)
  • Roads Closed from 6.30am until 8.30pm Sunday 3 October:
  • Byward Street
  • Upper Thames Street
  • Victoria Embankment

Roads Closed from 6am Saturday 2 October until 6am Monday 4 October:

  • Birdcage Walk Eastbound
  • Birdcage Walk Westbound
  • Spurs Road
  • Constitution Hill
  • Horse Guards Road

What other areas are affected?

Road closures will be put in place that will affect residents and business owners in Rotherhithe, Wapping, Isle Of Dogs, St James's Park and Canary Warf.

Greenwich Foot Tunnel will remain open for the majority of the weekend with busy crossing queues anticipated, but it will be closed between 10:30am and 12:30pm.

The Marathon will run past the Canary Wharf business district, as well as other residential areas

A series of free car parking facilities will be set up around some affected areas so that residents can leave the area without disrupting the event.

Other vehicles and residents in certain areas will receive help from event motorcyclists and stewards.

All in-depth information detailing road closures and areas affected by the marathon can be found here.

The route

The marathon's start point is near Blackheath in Greenwich, where runners will begin racing on one of three starting lines.

By mile 6 runners will pass by Cutty Sark, London's restored clipper ship that has become an iconic image for Marathon day.

Competitors will then make their way toward The Shard and cross over The Thames via Tower Bridge, which lies just before the halfway point.

The Marathon route takes participants past some of London's biggest landmarks

By mile 18 runners will have passed through Canary Wharf, London's prestigious financial and business centre.

The last mile of the London Marathon will see runners make their way along Victoria Embankment to Westminster, before passing The London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

Finally, those taking part will finish the race at Buckingham Palace by crossing the line on The Mall.

A map of the complete route can be downloaded via the London Marathon's official website.

The timings

The London Marathon starts from 9:30am on 3 October, with runners setting off in waves from different assembly areas in Greenwich.

Runners will receive their individual arrival times ahead of the race so that they know when to set off during the 9:30-11:30 starting period.

The Elite Men's Race also kicks off from 9:30am, one hour after the Elite Wheelchair Races begin at 8.30am.

World Para Athletics Marathon Championships Ambulant Athletes will begin the Marathon at 8.45am and the Elite Women's Race will get underway at 8.55am.

The directions to the different assembly areas can be seen below:

  • Blue Assembly Area: Train to Blackheath station followed by a 10-minute walk
  • Green Assembly Area: Train to Maze Hill station, followed by a 10-minute walk
  • Red Assembly Area: Train to Greenwich station, followed by a 15-minute walk
  • Yellow Assembly Area: Train to Blackheath Station, followed by a 10-minute walk

London Underground and DLR are offering free travel to all participants until 17:00 on Marathon Day for those who need to connect with mainline stations. Bib numbers will need to be shown to station staff to be eligible.

How can I watch?

Event organisers are encouraging spectators to watch this year's marathon from home due to ongoing Covid precautions.

The race will be televised on domestic channels and international stations, while the marathon can also be followed on radio and online.

Viewers and spectators will also have the chance to track the progress of specific participants via the official marathon app.

For spectators wanting to support runners in-person, London Marathon is advising to not gather in large groups.

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