New Blackwall Tunnel Toll Could Hit London Drivers Hard

The Mayor of London, working alongside TfL, has announced that they will introduce a charge for drivers to use the Blackwall Tunnel in 2025.

Currently free to use, the tunnel faces high levels of congestion and traffic. They plan to toll the tunnel to reduce these levels and fund the £2 billion Silvertown Tunnel, which will also be tolled upon opening.

Both of these tunnels will improve London’s transport links, boost the economy, and reduce traffic congestion.

The Blackwall Tunnel comprises a pair of road tunnels running under the River Thames in East London, connecting Blackwall in Tower Hamlets on the north side with Greenwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich on the south side. It is part of the A102 road and serves as a vital transportation link for vehicles traveling between north and south London.

The Silvertown Tunnel will be located in East London and provide an additional river crossing under the River Thames, connecting the Greenwich Peninsula in the Royal Borough of Greenwich with Silvertown in the London Borough of Newham. The tunnel aims to alleviate traffic congestion in the area, particularly at the nearby Blackwall Tunnel. The project involves constructing a new twin-bore road tunnel for vehicles, which will also accommodate pedestrian and cycling facilities, with the expectation of improving connectivity and supporting economic growth in East London.

The images above are the first look images of the new Silvertown tunnel.

When discussing the plans with the Evening Standard, the Mayor stated that nothing about them was sudden. He emphasized that they would toll both the Silvertown Tunnel and the Blackwall Tunnel to prevent traffic from shifting to the untolled route. Additionally, they are financing the Silvertown Tunnel through borrowing against future tunnel receipts, rather than using taxpayers’ money or the TfL budget.

But the toll of both tunnels has been met with great controversy and public disapproval

The announcement of the toll has faced public disapproval. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has received criticism from drivers following the announcement of the toll for the Blackwall Tunnel, one of the busiest river crossings in the city. This news adds to the frustration for motorists who are already preparing for daily charges of £12.50 for entering the expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) covering Greater London by the end of the month. The ULEZ fee will apply to vehicles that do not meet minimum emissions standards.

Additionally, drivers have expressed their displeasure on social media platform X.One user wrote that Londoners were not only being subjected to #ULEZ but also had to pay for the Blackwall Tunnel, and demanded that @sadiqkhan and @tfl explain why they continued to hurt London motorists. Another user wrote that it was enough now… Sadiq Khan has to go. A charge on the Blackwall Tunnel is just another tax on Londoners trying to get around.” A third added sarcastically, “We’re not seeing this money reinvested back into communities or infrastructure either, so what is the point? It’s nothing to do with making money, it’s for air quality and saving our children’s lungs.”

But the government is stand firm in their decision

Nevertheless, Sadiq Khan has maintained his decision to implement the charge, stating that the tolls are necessary for both tunnels to prevent drivers from congesting the non-tolled tunnel. Boris Johnson originally proposed tolling both crossings during his tenure as Mayor of London, and Prime Minister Theresa May’s government approved it in 2018.

As drivers from Poplar are aware, the Blackwall Tunnel experiences frequent closures and significant traffic, especially during rush hour. TfL data indicates that there were 2,767 closures of the Blackwall Tunnel in the previous 12 months, equivalent to almost 12 days of closure.

Additionally, according to a Transport for London (TfL) spokesperson, the introduction of a user charge for the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels aims to effectively manage traffic and achieve the anticipated environmental and economic benefits. They emphasised that managing traffic levels and environmental impact is a requirement of the planning consent, and implementing these charges has long been a method to meet these planning requirements.

What is the charge going to be

While there is no confirmation of a specific charge, documents submitted last month regarding signage suggested the toll could be £4. However, Mayor Khan mentioned a £5.25 charge in a letter sent to Transport Secretary Mark Harper. This was because when factoring in inflation since the £4 charge was first suggested, the equivalent today would be £5.25.

Read more on the charges here: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/10/blackwall-and-silvertown-tunnels-will-cost-up-to-4-at-peak-times-says-tfl

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