Sadiq Khan slammed for ‘lies and half truths’ over controversial Silvertown Tunnel by his own party – MyLondon
Labour faces a big internal row over the scheme
Josiah Mortimer
Sadiq Khan has earned a fierce rebuke from a senior Labour colleague over his plans to build a new road tunnel between the Greenwich Peninsula and west Silvertown in East London. Left-wing Newham mayor Rokhsana Fiaz has shared a statement from the project’s most ardent opponents claiming that Mr Khan is ‘lying’ over the impact of the tunnel, which critics say could lead to more traffic on London’s roads at a cost of £2.2bn to Transport for London (TfL).
The Silvertown Tunnel is being designed, built, and maintained under a TfL contract with the Riverlinx consortium, with tunnelling due to start in August. It is meant to slash congestion through the Blackwall Tunnel, with plans to impose a toll on both tunnels when it opens in 2025. The contract for construction was awarded in 2019 but recent months have seen some Labour figures step up their opposition to the scheme over fears it will only encourage more traffic and air pollution.
