The 1.4km tunnel will link Newham to the Greenwich Peninsula – and motorists will have to pay a toll to drive through it, reports Marco Marcelline
Credit: TfL
Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that the Silvertown Tunnel is planned to open on 7th April this year.
First announced in 2012, the 1.4km tunnel will link Newham to the Greenwich Peninsula.
The scheme has attracted criticism from environmental campaigners who have slapped down TfL’s claims that the tunnel will ease congestion in the current Blackwall tunnel and reduce pollution.
TfL has said its introduction of a toll in both tunnels will also help improve air quality by deterring motorists from making random trips.
An off-peak rate of £1.50 will apply for vehicles registered with TfL Auto Pay while peak charges will cost £2.50 for motorcycles and £4 for cars and vans.
During peak hours, large vans will pay £5.50 to cross the tunnel, while HGVs will pay £6.50. Peak hours run from 6am to 10am and from 4pm to 7pm on Mondays to Fridays.
Waltham Forest motorists in receipt of certain low-income benefits, such as income support, housing benefit or working tax credit will receive half-price concessions for a minimum of three years.
TfL has also argued the addition of the Silvertown Tunnel will cut average journey time across the Thames by up to 20 minutes at peak times.
New bus routes serving the tunnel, which will be free for at least the first year, will also launch the same day. The introduction of these new buses, including the Superloop 4 (SL4) between Canary Wharf and Grove Park, will increase the hourly number of buses able to cross the river in the area from six to 21.
There will also be a free cycle shuttle bus service which will operate every 12 minutes, seven days a week from 6.30am to 9.30pm. It will have two stops, one on each side of the river, with the ‘north’ stop located on Seagull Lane close to Royal Victoria DLR station, and the ‘south’ stop located on Millennium Way near the junction with Old School Close.
Work on Tidal Basin Roundabout, together with new walking and cycling routes around the roundabout and along Dock Road has also recently been completed, with work on improving Lower Lea Crossing for all road users currently underway and due to be complete by the end of spring 2025.
The Stop Silvertown Tunnel campaign has vociferously opposed the new tunnel. Writing on X/Twitter, the campaign said today: “The tunnel *increases* traffic, congestion, and pollution. The toll is to try to correct this increase. But they could have got far better economic and environmental outcomes by just tolling Blackwall and not building Silvertown at all.”
Stuart Harvey, chief capital officer at TfL said: “I’m pleased that we can now confirm that the Silvertown Tunnel will open on 7 April 2025, following years of hard work and close collaboration between ourselves and Riverlinx Limited. The tunnel is on track to open in the coming months and is a testament to brilliant and ground-breaking engineering.
“The new tunnel, along with the initial user charges, discounts and exemptions, will support growth in the local area and provide new public transport connections across the river. These measures will also help manage traffic demand as well as the environmental impacts, and ensure the new tunnel delivers on its objectives of reducing traffic congestion and providing resilience at the Blackwall Tunnel, while ensuring we support local residents on low income, small businesses, sole traders and local charities.”
Stagecoach London managing director Paul Lynch said: “We’re excited to be asked to operate the innovative and important Silvertown Tunnel cycle-shuttle service as part of the enhanced cross river public transport offering, and we’re busy making sure our specially converted zero emission buses will be ready in time. We also hope to see the new tunnel ease traffic conditions for our other bus services in the area.
East London residents and businesses currently face chronic traffic congestion in the area around the Blackwall Tunnel. The Victorian-era tunnel suffers from frequent closures – more than 700 times a year – which result in large tailbacks, poor air quality and millions of hours lost due to drivers being trapped in traffic congestion.”
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