A London MP has warned that some drivers could be slapped with a charge of up to £40 ahead of a new daily cost launching within months.
From April 7, 2025, motorists travelling between east London and the Greenwich Peninsula will have to pay at least £1.50 to cross through the new Blackwall Tunnel.
The lower charge will be active for those with Transport for London Auto Pay during off-peak hours, while peak hours will cost motorcycles £2.50, £4 for cars and small vans, £6.50 for large vans and HGVs will pay £10.
People without Auto Pay will have to pay the off-peak charge at all times, with TfL advising motorists to sign up to save money.
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However, Conservative MP Louie French has claimed that some motorists in the capital could end up paying up to £35 or £40 each day purely to get to work.
He said that people with vehicles that are not compliant with the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) could end up paying the £12.50 Ulez charge, the tunnel toll and the £15 Congestion Charge if they drive in central London.
The MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup has now launched a petition which calls on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to scrap the toll from the Blackwall Tunnel. So far, it has attracted more than 6,500 signatures.
He stated that it was unfair for the new charge to be introduced since many road crossings in central and west London are free.
The MP also claimed that an estimated 100,000 journeys are taken through the Blackwall Tunnel every day, with these motorists not paying anything at present.
Writing on the campaign site, he said: “The Blackwall Toll is the latest anti-motorist policy being launched by Sadiq Khan and will be in addition to the £12.50 Ulez daily charge millions of drivers in Greater London and surrounding counties are now facing.
“For example, these plans could see large van drivers from South East London paying over £40 per day to work in Central London from 2025 before they have even bought fuel or paid for parking.”
Transport for London reported that tunnel user charges have been designed to “effectively manage traffic”, as well as help cover the construction costs of the Silvertown Tunnel.
The implementation of a user charge is a requirement of the development consent for the Silvertown Tunnel, as outlined by former Transport Secretary Chris Grayling in 2018.
French claimed that it was “only a matter of time” before TfL and Mayor Sadiq Khan look to introduce a toll for the Rotherhithe Crossing, which is currently not being proposed.
The Silvertown Tunnel is set to open on April 7, 2025, with hopes journey times could be cut by up to 20 minutes at peak times.
TfL is set to use the new tunnel to boost public transport with the number of buses crossing the river jumping from six to 21 buses per hour. All of these will be zero emission at the tailpipe and free to use for the first year.
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Conservative MP Louie French launched the petition to protest the new tunnel user charges
PA
A spokesperson for Transport for London said: “Due to the proximity of the tunnels to each other, without the introduction of a user charge at both tunnels, there would likely be high levels of traffic and congestion which would lead to detrimental air quality impacts, as well as longer journey times.
“To help residents and businesses, a wide range of concessions and discounts will be available, including a 50 per cent discount which would be available for low-income residents in surrounding areas.”
