London’s new 1.4km road tunnel under the River Thames is set to open on April 7th 2025. The Silvertown tunnel will help reduce congestion on the existing twin tube Blackwall Tunnel, which has been notorious for its frequent traffic delays.
The new tunnel link is not without controversy however, with one of the complaints being the £4 charge for drivers to use the link. The existing Blackwall Tunnel link will also have a £4 charge for drivers using the link, the first time this has been introduced since the original link was complete in the 1950s and the source of additional complaints. Residents living around the northern portal have also voiced their concerns over additional exhaust pollution from the traffic using the link.
However, the new tunnel is expected to help boost the economy given that it will cut waiting times for drivers. It will also help to reduce noise and pollution for residents living close to the portals for the existing Blackwall Tunnel, as well as improving the notoriously poor air quality within the tunnel.
The new tunnel will benefit from the latest traffic control and emergency systems provided by Citilog.
