Ground Transport Group - TfL outlines package of charges, discounts and exemptions for Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels

Transport for London (TfL) has today (Tuesday 26 November) set out its recommendation for the package of discounts, exemptions and charges for the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels, ahead of the new Silvertown Tunnel opening in Spring 2025.

The tunnel charges, which will be decided by the TfL Board on 4 December, are required as part of the development consent for the new tunnel and were first proposed in 2012. As previously communicated, it is proposed that a user charge be introduced for those using the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels between 06:00 and 22:00, seven days a week. The proximity of the two tunnels has meant that, ever since the plans were first conceived, both need to be charged to ensure that traffic levels do not increase as a result of drivers seeking to use the uncharged crossing.

East London residents and businesses currently face chronic congestion in the area around the Blackwall Tunnel. The Victorian-era tunnel suffers from frequent closures – more than 700 times a year – which results in large tailbacks, poor air quality and millions of hours lost due to drivers being trapped in traffic. The new modern tunnel linking Silvertown in east London to the Greenwich Peninsula, supported by the new user charges, will reduce journey times and help manage air pollution. This will make journeys faster and more reliable, with journey savings expected to be up to 20 minutes at peak times. It will also support economic growth and allow TfL to increase the number of buses able to cross the river in this area from six to 21 buses an hour in each direction during the busiest times – all of which will be zero emission at the tailpipe.

Following public consultation this summer, TfL is now presenting its recommendation for the package of discounts, exemptions and charges to the TfL Board. As set out in the consultation, an off-peak rate of £1.50 for cars, motorcycles and small vans would apply the majority of the time, for vehicles registered for TfL AutoPay. To manage traffic during the busiest times, peak charges would apply, set at £1 more than standard off-peak charges for motorcycles and an extra £2.50 for cars and small vans. These would apply for four hours northbound in the morning (from 06:00 to 10:00) and three hours southbound in the evening (from 16:00 to 19:00), Monday to Friday, or for anyone not using TfL AutoPay.

To help residents and businesses, and to support people to use new public transport connections, a wide range of concessions and discounts has been proposed, including a 50 per cent discount, which would be available for low-income residents in 12 east and southeast London boroughs and the City of London.

Bus journeys made on three cross-river routes that serve Newham, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich – all of which will be zero-emission – as well as cross-river journeys on the DLR from Cutty Sark to Island Gardens, and from Woolwich Arsenal to King George V will also be free for at least one year.

The ‘cycle shuttle-bus’ service, which TfL consulted on in summer 2023, will also allow people with cycles to safely cross the river via a high frequency bespoke bus service for cyclists between Silvertown and North Greenwich. This zero-emission service will run between 0630 and 2130, seven days a week, will operate for at least three years and also be free to use for at least the first year.

As part of the Board submission for the final charges, TfL has also published the report into the consultation on the discounts, exemptions and charges, which ran from 10 July to 3 September 2024, as well as its responses to issues raised. The consultation allowed Londoners to comment on the proposed charging levels, discounts and exemptions, ensuring it had been informed by feedback from the public before final approval.

TfL received 5,361 responses to the consultation – including 5,045 from members of the public, 207 from organised campaigns and 109 from a range of stakeholder groups, such as local authorities, politicians, transport groups, environmental groups, freight organisations, local businesses and statutory consultees. These included members of the Silvertown Tunnel Implementation Group (STIG), which is made up of representatives from 11 London boroughs, the City of London, the GLA and National Highways. There have been a number of consultations on the Silvertown Tunnel, including two previous consultations in 2014 and 2015 which outlined the need for the user charge and saw around 4,000 responses each. There was also a six-month public examination into the scheme from October 2016 to April 2017 as part of the planning approvals for the Development Consent Order.

The responses to the consultation elicited a wide range of views on the charge levels. As well as providing an overview of the consultation and responses, the report sets out the top five issues raised in relation to the proposed charges, discounts and exemptions, as well as sets out the detailed responses from STIG members and key stakeholders. While some responses on the proposed discounts and exemptions called for the free travel elements of the package to be extended for longer, others questioned whether the proposals were too generous.

Having assessed all responses, TfL is now presenting a recommendation to the Board to proceed with the charges, discounts and exemptions as originally proposed in the consultation, but with minor amends to ensure that electric vans do not risk being charged more due to their weight placing them in a higher user charge category, and expanding the discount for borough refuse vehicles to cover all east London boroughs.

A major marketing campaign encouraging drivers to sign up to TfL AutoPay will launch in the new year, to ensure Londoners can benefit from the off-peak discount from launch. More than 1.4 million vehicles are already registered for TfL AutoPay for road user charges across London and these would all be automatically registered for the new charges when they begin.

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Londoners face chronic traffic congestion on the approaches to the Blackwall Tunnel, which was never designed for the levels of traffic now crossing the river in east London. The new Silvertown tunnel will ease congestion for drivers, reduce journey times and help manage air pollution.

“TfL’s proposed package of concessions, exemptions and discounts will support Londoners in a variety of ways, including those on the lowest incomes, and help local residents take full advantage of the new bus and cycle connections.”

Christina Calderato, Director of Strategy at TfL, said: “As we prepare for the opening of Silvertown Tunnel in the Spring and following public consultation, which saw more than 5,000 responses, we are now asking the TfL Board to make a final decision on the charges, discounts and exemptions for the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels. If we did not introduce these, there would likely be high levels of traffic and congestion, which would lead to detrimental air quality impacts, as well as longer journey times.

“These measures will manage traffic demand as well as the environmental impacts, and ensure the new tunnel delivers on its objectives of reducing congestion and providing resilience at the Blackwall Tunnel, while ensuring we support local residents on low income, small businesses, sole traders and local charities. Once confirmed, we will carry out a major marketing campaign to encourage drivers to sign up to TfL AutoPay, ensuring Londoners can benefit from the off-peak discounts from launch. ”

Work on the new Silvertown Tunnel is continuing apace, with construction work on the main tunnel now complete. TfL and Riverlinx are now working to ensure that all the new safety systems within the tunnel are working. Once this is complete, the opening date for the tunnel will be confirmed. Work on Tidal Basin Roundabout, along with new walking and cycling routes around the roundabout and along Dock Road is also now nearly complete, and work on Lower Lea Crossing to improve the existing cycling route down towards Silvertown now well underway.

Land that was used for the construction of the Silvertown Tunnel in Newham will be re-used to support the regeneration of Royal Victoria and West Silvertown, as part of the Mayor’s wider vision for the regeneration of the Royal Docks, including the building of more than 36,000 new homes and the creation of 55,000 new jobs across this historic part of east London.