The Silvertown Tunnel will open on April 7, with tolls for users of both the new route and the Blackwall Tunnel starting this spring.
London: The opening date for the Silvertown Tunnel has finally been announced. It’s set to welcome drivers starting April 7. But here’s the catch: both this new route and the Blackwall Tunnel will have tolls.
So, if you’re planning to use the Silvertown Tunnel, be ready to pay £4 during peak hours. That’s Monday to Friday from 6 AM to 10 AM heading into London, and 4 PM to 7 PM going out. Off-peak? It’ll be £1.50 if you auto-pay, or £2.50 if you pay by phone or online.
These tolls were first mentioned last summer during a consultation. TfL is also looking at giving a 50% discount for low-income drivers in certain areas, which will kick in this spring.
Jim Dickson, the Dartford MP, is on board with the tunnel but thinks discounts should extend to folks living nearby, even if they’re just outside London. He’s pushing for some fairness here.
Small businesses and charities can also snag a £1 discount on off-peak auto-pay charges for up to three vehicles for a year after the tunnel opens. It’s a nice little perk!
TfL says these tolls will help manage traffic and pay for the tunnel’s upkeep. The Silvertown Tunnel is meant to ease congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel, which has been a bottleneck for ages.
This new 1.4 km link will connect the Greenwich Peninsula with Silvertown, close to London City Airport. Stuart Harvey from TfL is excited about the opening, highlighting the hard work that’s gone into this project.
He believes the tunnel will not only help with traffic but also support local growth and public transport connections. It’s all about making life easier for everyone while keeping the environment in mind.
The Riverlinx consortium is behind this project, and they’re all set to deliver something that’s been in the works for a long time.
