Silvertown Tunnel


Silvertown Tunnel is a planned road tunnel under the River Thames in East London that will connect the Greenwich Peninsula and west Silvertown. It is being promoted by Transport for London and will be delivered through a design, build, finance and maintain contract by the Riverlinx consortium. The tunnel is intended to relieve congestion in the Blackwall Tunnel and both tunnels will be tolled when it opens in 2025. The contract for construction was awarded in November 2019.

Current proposal

The current proposal is for a twin-bore tunnel to connect the A1020 Silvertown Way/Lower Lea Crossing on the north side with the A102 road Blackwall Tunnel Approach on the south side, on an alignment similar to the Emirates Air Line cable car. Lane 1 will be dedicated to buses and goods vehicles over 7.5t, while lane 2 will be available for all traffic. The proposed tunnel would affect access to a Thames Wharf station proposed as part of the Docklands Light Railway's London City Airport extension.
The tunnel is opposed by the 'No to the Silvertown Tunnel' campaign, and more recently the which claims that it would generate more traffic and more congestion, and lead to more air pollution.

History

It was proposed that the project should be reviewed in 2006 following the completion of the Thames Gateway Bridge. The then London Mayor, Ken Livingstone, supported the scheme in principle and expressed a preference that the link be a road tunnel. The Mayor's Transport Strategy stated that construction of the link would follow the implementation of the subsequently cancelled Thames Gateway Bridge.
A public consultation on the Silvertown Tunnel and the Gallions Reach Ferry took place between February and March 2012. A further consultation was conducted from 29 October 2012 to 1 February 2013.
A consultation on tolling both the Silvertown and the Blackwall tunnels opened in October 2014.
The government approved the proposal in May 2018, and the contract was awarded in November 2019. Construction is due for completion in 2025.
In July 2020, Extinction Rebellion protesters locked themselves to a drilling rig, calling on London mayor Sadiq Khan to halt the project amidst environmental concerns.