New Tolls Announced for London Drivers

New Tolls Announced for London Drivers
Vehicles sitting in traffic approach the Blackwall Tunnel in London on Nov. 18, 2020. Simon Dawson/Reuters
Evgenia Filimianova
Updated:
0:00

Drivers using the Blackwall Tunnel in east London will be expected to pay a toll to fund a new tunnel in the capital.

The Blackwall Tunnel, which actually consists of two road tunnels underneath the River Thames, is one of a few crossings in east London that links Greenwich and Tower Hamlets.

Tens of thousands of vehicles normally use the tunnel every day.

Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed it will start charging a fee after the Silvertown Tunnel, currently under construction, opens in 2025.

The funds will be used to cover the construction costs of the £2 billion Silvertown Tunnel that will link the Royal Docks north of the river with the Greenwich Peninsula in the south.

The new tunnel is meant to reduce “chronic congestion” in east London and speed up journey times up to 20 minutes, alleviating traffic build-up at the Blackwall Tunnel, TfL said.

The new 1.4-kilometer (0.86-mile) tunnel is set to improve public transport links, including more cross-river bus journeys.

Silvertown Tunnel

The exact fee will depend on the vehicle type using the tunnel and will be decided closer to the opening date, a TfL spokesman told The Telegraph.

“The Silvertown Tunnel, once open, will support growth in the local area, provide new public transport connections across the river via zero-emission bus routes and address the chronic issues Londoners face at the Blackwall Tunnel,” the spokesman added.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in 2021, “We have long needed a new river crossing in that part of London and I am confident we have the right scheme for Londoners.”

The mayor argued last year that if the Silvertown Tunnel charge is removed or reduced, it will lead to “a worst-case scenario of increased traffic and associated environmental and health impacts for neighbouring communities.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan wears a mask as he rides on a Circle Line tube train to visit the London Transport Museum, in London, on July 14, 2021. (Kirsty O'Connor/PA via AP)
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan wears a mask as he rides on a Circle Line tube train to visit the London Transport Museum, in London, on July 14, 2021. Kirsty O'Connor/PA via AP

Mr. Khan defended the decision to charge drivers using the new tunnel and said it’s expected to serve Londoners for over 100 years.

Green Party London Assembly Member Sian Berry said that as it currently stands, the Silvertown Tunnel project “will increase car dependency, and risk new traffic and pollution for Londoners across the east of our city.”

The Greenwich and Bexley Green Party has called on Mr. Khan to repurpose the Silvertown Tunnel project, arguing that the extra traffic would reduce air quality on the road.
TfL, however, argued the opposite, vouching the tunnel will reduce the environmental impact of traffic congestion on some of London’s most polluted roads. Londoners using public transport that includes zero-emission buses, TfL said, will benefit from the new routes thanks to the tunnel.

Added Costs

The announced toll fees come on top of the £15 congestion charge for driving in central London at certain times of the day and the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge.

ULEZ is set to expand to all London boroughs at the end of the month, which means drivers of vehicles that don’t meet the emissions standards will need to pay a daily charge of £12.50.

Burdened with the rising cost of living, Londoners, whose cars don’t meet the ULEZ emissions standards, will either see their transportation costs surge or will have to change their vehicle.

This summer, one of the UK’s biggest used car marketplaces, Motorway, examined the sales of cars under five years old, which would comply with ULEZ rules. It found that some brands saw an increase in price of more than 30 percent.
Last week, Mr. Khan said ULEZ policies will not be watered down and announced more financial support to Londoners with non-compliant cars.

According to a government scheme, every Londoner with a “polluting car” will now be able to receive a grant of up to £2,000 to support an upgrade.

Evgenia Filimianova
Evgenia Filimianova
Author
Evgenia Filimianova is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of national stories, with a particular interest in UK politics, parliamentary proceedings and socioeconomic issues.
Related Topics