Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that the Silvertown Tunnel is planned to open on 7 April 2025, with tolls of up to £4 per journey for car drivers and up to £6.50 for vans.
Charges will also be replicated across the Blackwall Tunnel, which has been free to use since it opened in 1897, to ensure traffic levels there don’t rise.
First announced in 2012, the Silvertown Tunnel will link Newham to the Greenwich Peninsula and will make journeys faster and more reliable, with journey time savings expected to be up to 20 minutes at peak times.
The tunnel is also located in the Ultra Low Emission Zone and will also 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 fully electric.
Tolls are required as part of the development consent for the new tunnel and will repay building costs while also covering ongoing maintenance and operation costs at both tunnels.
The level of charges was confirmed early December after the TfL board signed off on proposals.
The levy will apply from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week. At peak times (from 06.00 to 10.00 and 16.00 to 19.00 Monday to Friday), cars and small vans will pay a £4 charge, falling to £1.50 outside of these hours when paying via AutoPay.
Fees for large vans are set at £6.50 peak and £2.50 off-peak, while HGVs will be £10 peak and £5 off-peak, and motorbikes will be £2.50 and £1.50 respectively. To qualify for the off-peak rates, motorists must use AutoPay.
Concessions for residents and businesses include a £1 discount on the standard off-peak charge for at least one year for small businesses, sole traders and charities registered in Tower Hamlets, Newham and Greenwich. There’s also a 50% discount for low-income residents in 12 east and south east London boroughs and the City of London.
Stuart Harvey, chief capital officer at Transport for London, said: “I’m pleased that we can now confirm that the Silvertown Tunnel will open on 7 April 2025, following years of hard work and close collaboration between ourselves and Riverlinx Limited. The tunnel is on track to open in the coming months and is a testament to brilliant and ground-breaking engineering.
“The new tunnel, along with the initial user charges, discounts and exemptions, will support growth in the local area and provide new public transport connections across the river. These measures will also help manage traffic demand as well as the environmental impacts, and ensure the new tunnel delivers on its objectives of reducing traffic congestion and providing resilience at the Blackwall Tunnel, while ensuring we support local residents on low income, small businesses, sole traders and local charities.”
