Drivers using Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels WILL have to pay £4 at peak times TfL confirms - despite fury from motorists over cash grab
Transport for London (TFL) have confirmed the introduction of tolls for both the Blackwall Tunnel and the newly constructed Silvertown Tunnel.
Transport for London (TFL) have confirmed the introduction of tolls for both the Blackwall Tunnel and the newly constructed Silvertown Tunnel.
Plans for the charges were first revealed in September 2023, but TFL has now stated just how much motorists will need to fork out to cross under the Thames.
For peak hours, the toll fee will be £4, with an off-peak rate of £1.50 set to be implemented.
The charges will be applicable seven days a week, between the hours of 6am and 10pm.
Peak hours will run for four hours on weekday mornings, from 6am to 10am, for northbound traffic, and from 4pm to 7pm on weekday evenings for southbound traffic.
Drivers will be able to pay the toll online but can only avail of the off-peak rate if they sign up to TFLs auto-pay plan which would see the £1.50 automatically deducted from their bank account.
Motorists who dont sign up to the scheme will be forced to pay the full £4 fare, regardless of whether they are traveling during peak or off-peak hours.
Small vans are set to be spared from the loftier pricing for larger vehicles and will be charged at the same rates as cars.
The Blackwall Tunnel has serviced London commuters for over a century but is not able to sustain its current levels of traffic, according to London Mayor Sadiq Khan
The Silvertown Tunnel is due to open in early 2025 with the aim of alleviating congestion around the Blackwall Tunnel
A map highlighting the locations of both the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels
The Blackwall Tunnel has serviced London commuters for over a century and was most recently renovated between 2010 and 2012, connecting Poplar on the north side of the Thames with North Greenwich and the A2 on the south side.
The Silvertown Tunnel on the other hand, which was first conceptualised to help relieve congestion around the Blackwall Tunnel, only saw construction begin in 2021.
Due to connect Newham in East London with the Greenwich Peninsula, TFL say that the Silvertown Tunnel will open in spring 2025, although no firm date has been set yet.
The charges for both tunnels have been introduced with the aim of cutting peak journey times by up to 20 minutes, according to the TFL.
Currently, the Blackwall Tunnel is notoriously busy during peak commuting hours, particularly for those motorists heading north of the river.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan is expected to grant final approval to the tolls during a meeting of the TFL board next month.
Speaking on the introduction of the charges, Mr Khan said that the Blackwall Tunnel was never designed to accommodate the levels of traffic it is currently enduring and that the new Silvertown Tunnel will aid in reducing both journey times and air pollution.
The Labour politician has previously stated his admiration for the Paris model of motorist levies, which see cars charged based on their size and pollution levels.
Im a firm believer in stealing good policies, Khan said earlier this year as he branded the French capitals scheme as innovative.
Similar initiatives have already been introduced by some London councils such as Haringey and Lambeth, which are both set to up charges for larger vehicles.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has previously stated his admiration for the Paris model of motorist levies, which see cars charged based on their size and pollution levels
The charges for both tunnels have been introduced with the aim of cutting peak journey times by up to 20 minutes, according to the TFL
The sign drafts for the Silvertown Tunnel show a charge of £4 per trip for car drivers and £8.50 for larger vehicle owners
The Silvertown tunnel, which is still under construction, is aimed at reducing congestion for the Blackwall tunnel (pictured)
TFL ran a consultation period during July of this year in which concerns were raised over the possibility that traffic bound for the Dartford Crossing on the outskirts of London would divert centrally due to the £1 fare difference during off-peak hours.
However, the only change made to toll plans was the rate at which electric vans were charged, as they had previously been placed in a higher toll category due to vehicle weight.
Discount for borough refuse vehicles will also be expanded to include all of the east London boroughs.
Plans for the Silvertown Tunnel were first submitted back in 2012 during Boris Johnsons time as London Mayor.
The incumbent Sadiq Khan retained these plans, albeit modifying them slightly, despite protests from a number of borough councils such as Newham and Greenwich, which are both Labour-run.
Numerous clean air activist groups also expressed concerns over the plans, claiming that the tunnels opening would only serve to further exacerbate East Londons traffic problems.
The Stop Silvertown Tunnel Coalition released a statement earlier this year, condemning Sadiq Khans pressing ahead with the tunnels construction.
Its going to take 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles into Newham and its going to attract new HGVs into Greenwich, past our schools and our kids into Newham- the most polluted borough in the UK, the group said.
It comes after the Mayor of London rolled out a major Ulez expansion
Numerous clean air activist groups have protested over the Silvertown Tunnels opening
Numerous clean air activist groups have protested over the Silvertown Tunnels opening
Numerous clean air activist groups have protested over the Silvertown Tunnels opening
It is not just borough councils and climate groups who have been outspoken critics of the new Silvertown Tunnel and the roll-out of toll charges, with everyday motorists voicing their concerns to the MailOnline too.
In August of this year, delivery firm director Robin Hopkins, 63, spoke of how the charge for the Blackwall Tunnel was only the latest example of the London Mayor seeking to grab cash from motorists.
The Blackwall Tunnel will only be the start of it - I can see tolls being up on other bridges and crossings as well, Mr Hopkins, who travels regularly from the Midlands to London, said.
As soon as I have extra costs or tolls I have to pass those onto my customers. Its a trickle-down effect.
Transport businesses have already been hammered by fuel costs, and a lot of them have had to pack it in after decades of service.
Motorists are clearly being targeted for a cash grab by Sadiq Khan. We urgently need a new Mayor who befits the role.
Another contention with both tunnels was the inability for non-vehicle-using commuters to avail of their use, however last month TFL unveiled plans for bike buses to shuttle cyclists through the Silvertown Tunnel.
The contract for this service has been awarded to Stagecoach, with TFL announcing that cyclists wont face any charge for at least the first year of its operation.
