Silvertown Tunnel

Silvertown Tunnel
Exploratory boreholes on the site in 2014
Overview
Location Silvertown / Greenwich Peninsula
Coordinates 51°30′17.19″N 0°0′28.58″E / 51.5047750°N 0.0079389°E / 51.5047750; 0.0079389 (Silvertown Tunnel)Coordinates: 51°30′17.19″N 0°0′28.58″E / 51.5047750°N 0.0079389°E / 51.5047750; 0.0079389 (Silvertown Tunnel)
Status Proposed
Route A1020
Start London Borough of Newham
End Royal Borough of Greenwich
Operation
Owner Transport for London
Traffic Automotive, no pedestrians or cyclists
Technical
No. of lanes 2 lanes per bore (twin bore)

The Silvertown Tunnel is a proposed new road tunnel under the River Thames in East London that would connect the Greenwich Peninsula and West Silvertown; it is being promoted by Transport for London (TfL). The tunnel, which is intended to relieve congestion through the Blackwall Tunnel, may be tolled along with the Blackwall Tunnel to manage demand.

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.[1] The proposed tunnel would affect access to a Thames Wharf Station proposed as part of the Docklands Light Railway's London City Airport extension.[2]

It is opposed by the 'No to the Silvertown Tunnel' campaign, which claims that it would generate more traffic and more congestion, and lead to more air pollution.[3]

History

It was proposed that the project should be reviewed in 2006 following the completion of the Thames Gateway Bridge.[4] The then London Mayor, Ken Livingstone, supported the scheme in principle and expressed a preference for the link to be a road tunnel. The Mayor's Transport Strategy stated that the link would follow the implementation of the subsequently cancelled Thames Gateway Bridge.[5]

A public consultation for the Silvertown Tunnel and the Gallions Reach Ferry took place between February and March 2012.[6] A further consultation was conducted from 29 October 2012 to 1 February 2013.[7]

A consultation on tolling both the Silvertown and the Blackwall Tunnels opened in October 2014.[8]

The government approved the proposal in May 2018,[9] with construction expected to commence in 2019.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "River Crossings: Silvertown tunnel - Supporting technical documentation" (PDF). The proposed northern Silvertown tunnel portal is located close to the site safeguarded for a potential Thames Wharf DLR station and its potential impact on pedestrian access routes to the station needs to be considered
  2. ↑ "Fight this toxic tunnel: TfL launches new consultation into polluting, congesting Silvertown Tunnel".
  3. ↑ "Thames Gateway River Crossings". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 2005-11-25. Retrieved 2006-02-24.
  4. ↑ "Silvertown Link". A rolling construction programme would see the project team for Thames Gateway Bridge moved straight on to Silvertown Link.
  5. ↑ "River Crossings". The information on this web page relates to a consultation that was undertaken in February/March 2012.
  6. ↑ "Have your say on the proposal for a new tunnel under the Thames at Silvertown".
  7. ↑ "Silvertown Tunnel: Toll Consultation To Be Launched". Londonist.
  8. ↑ UK Parliament. The Silvertown Tunnel Order 2018 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  9. ↑ Noble, Will (10 May 2018). "New Tunnel Under The Thames Given The Go-Ahead". The Londonist.

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