Plans for the Silvertown tunnel
In May 2018, the Department for Transport granted Transport for London (TfL) permission to construct a new 1.4km road tunnel under the River Thames.
The new tunnel will link West Silvertown and Essex-bound A13 north of the Thames, with North Greenwich and the Kent-bound A2 south of the river. It will be located approximately one kilometer downstream of the existing Blackwall Tunnel. Under the current timeline, construction of the tunnel is due to begin in 2020, with an expected opening date in 2025.
TfL have stated that the purpose of this tunnel is to:
– Reduce congestion and delays
– Reduce the environmental impact of the
current congestion on the Blackwall
tunnel route, and
– Improve cross-river public transport
links by utilising zero-emissions buses.
However, the argument that the tunnel will improve congestion and air pollution has been strongly contested by others, including leading physicians, environmental scientists and traffic experts. Instead, they have argued that it could strengthen the problem.
