London’s Department for Transport has announced the expected fee schedules for the use of the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels under the River Thames from spring 2025.
So is there a way for drivers to avoid the £4 peak hour charge? Here’s everything you need to know about Mayor Sadiq Khan’s latest road charge.
Where is the Silvertown tunnel?
The Silvertown tunnel is located just east of the Blackwall tunnel in east London. It passes under the River Thames, connecting the North Greenwich peninsula in south London with the Silvertown area, just west of the Royal Docks in east London. The southern end is immediately adjacent to the Blackwall tunnel, while the northern end is only about 100 yards west of the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s new City Hall.
How much will the Silvertown tunnel cost to run?
There are three “price bands”. Between 6am and 10pm, most motorists pay £1.50 per pass. This applies seven days a week. However, the fee increases to £4 for northbound journeys between 6am and 10am on weekdays, and for southbound journeys between 4pm and 7pm. There is no charge between 10pm and 6am.
What about the Blackwall tunnel?
The fares for the Blackwall tunnel and the Silvertown tunnel are the same: £1.50 most of the time, £4 during the two peak periods, and free between 22:00 and 06:00.
How much will the round trip fare be during rush hour?
The daily charge will be £8 for drivers heading north through the Blackwall or Silvertown tunnel during the morning commute, and south during the evening rush hour.
Is there a way to avoid paying the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnel toll?
Yes – travel between 22:00 and 06:00. There is no charge overnight. However, if staying up late or getting up early is not an option, the only way to avoid the toll is to take a bus from or to an adjacent station via the tunnel or the DLR – these will be free for at least a year after the Silvertown tunnel opens. More details below.
How does the fee compare to other route fees?
The Dartford crossing (on the M25) costs motorists £2.50 per crossing. The Ulez is £12.50 per day while the congestion charge is £15 – both are for unlimited journeys.
Why are there tolls in the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels?
The Silvertown tunnel was built using the PFI (private finance initiative) scheme – around £1bn to build the tunnel and £1.2bn in loan repayments. Transport for London needs the income from tolls to service its £2.2bn debt.
Silvertown doesn’t have a toll, why not Blackwall?
TfL says that if only one tunnel is charged, no drivers will use it and everyone will continue to use the other (free) crossing. This would defeat the purpose of building Silvertown, which was to reduce delays, congestion and pollution at Blackwall by effectively halving the load.
Do I need to do anything to get the £1.50 low season fare?
Yes. This is very important. All drivers must register their vehicles with TfL’s Direct Debit system, which is currently used for congestion charging and Ulez (ultra low emission zone). TfL currently has around 1.3 million registered vehicles. This means the toll is automatically charged to the driver’s debit or credit card. Drivers who are not registered with Direct Debit will be charged £4 during charging hours.
What about motorcycles, taxis, minibuses, pickup trucks and heavy vehicles?
Motorcyclists will pay £2.50 in peak hours and £1.50 off-peak. Transit-sized minibuses will pay the same as cars. Large minibuses will pay £6.50 in peak hours and £2.50 off-peak. HGVs will pay £10 in peak hours and £5 off-peak.
When will the charging start?
The charges for both tunnels will be in place from Spring 2025, when the Silvertown tunnel opens to traffic. An exact date has not yet been announced. The tunnel is opening slightly earlier than planned – the expectation was that it would not open until Summer 2025. The whole project – first conceived in 2012 when Boris Johnson was mayor – has been delayed by around four years.
How many drivers use the Blackwall tunnel?
The Blackwall tunnel is used by around 100,000 vehicles a day, with around half of its traffic expected to be diverted to the Silvertown tunnel.
What about cyclists?
Cyclists are not allowed through the Blackwall tunnel, and they will not be allowed through the Silvertown tunnel either, both for safety reasons. However, TfL is setting up a cycle “shuttle bus” – cyclists will be able to load their bikes onto the bus for a free journey through the tunnel. The fare will be free for at least the first year. One of the two lanes in each of the two Silvertown tunnels (north and south) will be a bus lane.
What about bus passengers?
In a bid to get Londoners out of their cars, river crossings on buses 108 or 129 – as well as the new Superloop SL4 route in the Silvertown tunnel, which will connect Grove Park to Canary Wharf from next year – will be free for at least a year for journeys starting from Newham, Tower Hamlets or Greenwich.
Will DLR be free?
Yes – for some journeys. DLR journeys in the immediate vicinity of the tunnels – such as between Cutty Sark and Island Gardens, or Woolwich Arsenal and King George V – will be free for at least a year.
What happens if drivers don’t pay the correct fare?
A fine of £180 will be issued, which will be reduced to £90 if paid within two weeks, but only one penalty notice will be issued per day, regardless of the number of unpaid passes.
Is there any help for low-income Londoners, NHS patients or small businesses?
Yes. Low-income Londoners living in 12 east or south-east London boroughs, including Newham, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich, or in the City of London, can apply for a 50% discount. NHS staff and patients will be able to get a refund. Blue badge drivers will be exempt.
Londoners on low incomes can apply for 50% off if they live in Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, Bromley, City of London, Greenwich, Hackney, Havering, Lewisham, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Tower Hamlets or Waltham Forest. They must be receiving a Government benefit such as income support, jobseeker’s allowance, universal credit, pension credit, child tax credit, employee tax credit, carer’s allowance or housing benefit.
Small businesses in Newham, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich can apply for a £1 discount on low consumption hours for at least a year.
Will taxis be exempt?
Black cabs, yes – and some minicabs, particularly those that can take wheelchairs or have “zero emissions capability”. TfL says around 40 per cent of minicabs will be exempt.
What does Sadiq Khan say?
Mr Khan said: “Local residents and business owners currently face chronic congestion and pollution in the area around the Blackwall tunnel. When the long-planned new Silvertown tunnel opens in 2025, it will help deliver faster and more reliable journeys across east London by reducing congestion and making journeys up to 20 minutes quicker.”
Are the fees and discounts firm?
No. TfL is running an eight-week consultation. Depending on the outcome of the consultation, the proposed tolls and discounts may be changed. The TfL board, chaired by Mr Khan, will have a final say later this year. There is also the possibility that the peak toll of £4 could increase from time to time in line with inflation to maintain its deterrent effect.