Rosanna Parrish drivers in London – including those driving business vehicles – will have to pay a toll to use the Silvertown or Blackwall tunnels Silvertown Tunnel is the first new Thames tunnel for 58 years Mayor Sadiq Khan claims it will help with cross-river travel while reducing congestion and air pollution opened in 1897  – but only introduced a toll this year keep reading to see what you’ll be charged – plus what to do if your business has a fleet of vehicles and a discount for small business owners While a new route through London may help business drivers avoid congestion – they’ll have to pay a toll when travelling between 6am and 10pm You’ll have the option to pay by Transport for London (TfL)’s Auto Pay Failure to pay could result in a fine of £180 *Peak charges will apply Monday through Friday at the following times: Read more: London ULEZ expansion – ultimate guide for small businesses TfL have advised businesses which regularly drive more than five vehicles within a charging zone (including Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels) to choose Fleet Auto Pay This automatically bills you for the number of chargeable journeys your vehicle makes within the Congestion Charge zone Signing up to Auto Pay means you won’t risk forgetting to pay for your journey It also lets you pay off-peak charges for travelling in those times – which isn’t available to those paying by other methods Additionally, small businesses can get a £1 reduction on off-peak fares by registering online As one of the UK’s biggest business insurance providers, we specialise in public liability insurance and protect more trades than anybody else Rosanna Parrish is a Copywriter at Simply Business specialising in side hustles – as well as all things freelance, social media, and ecommerce. She’s been writing professionally for nine years. Starting her career in health insurance, she also worked in education marketing before returning to the insurance world. Connect with Rosanna on LinkedIn. This content is for general, informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice. Please obtain expert advice from industry-specific professionals who may better understand your business’s needs. Read our full disclaimer © Copyright 2025 Simply Business. All Rights Reserved. Simply Business is a trading name of Xbridge Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services Registration No: 313348). Xbridge Limited (No: 3967717) has its registered office at 4th Floor Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row, London, United Kingdom, EC1Y 8LZ This charge is being introduced on the same day the new Silvertown Tunnel opens which will connect east London to southeast London (near the 02 Arena) a round-trip during peak hours will cost £8 while large vans will face a charge of up to £13 The Silvertown Tunnel is designed to ease congestion around the Blackwall Tunnel with Transport for London (TfL) claiming it will reduce journey times by up to 20 minutes TfL explains that the Blackwall Tunnel was not built to handle the current volume of traffic resulting in more frequent incidents that cause long delays and negatively impact air quality around 21 buses will pass through the new tunnel every hour from 7am to 7pm A dedicated shuttle service will also transport cyclists and their bikes across the river seven days a week (including bank holiday) with the easiest payment method being Auto Pay which links payment cards to an account for automatic payments Failure to pay the toll will result in a £180 penalty charge which can be reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days • Roadside cover from £5.49 a month* • We get to most breakdowns in 60 mins or less • Our patrols fix 4/5 breakdowns on the spot the prices to travel through the Blackwall and Silverton Tunnels have been updated Here is what you can expect to pay to use the tunnel: *At least 10% of new customers pay this for single-vehicle Roadside (Basic). ^Find the same cover cheaper on theaa.com within 7 days & we’ll beat it by 20%. 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Please see our privacy policy for more details Your guide to London's culture and transport news and events taking place across the city Published on 24th April 2025 by ianVisits in Transport News A second entrance recently opened at the Blackwall DLR station near Canary Wharf as part of the wider DLR capacity upgrade project The Blackwall station opened in March 1994 and is a classic design of the era with a very high railway accessed from below via a double set of stairs and two lifts The additional stairs are to deal with an issue that will become a significant problem in the near future – and that’s do to with evacuating the station if that were ever to be needed Blackwall currently operates with one evacuation route for passengers from each platform with an estimated evacuation time in excess of the eight-minute clearance time usually required for surface stations The station is currently exempt from the time limit regulations due to its low usage but increased housing around it has seen passenger numbers rising and the new DLR trains that are due to come into service will further increase the station’s usage To increase station capacity ahead of the new trains arriving work has been underway to add two new staircases at the platforms and convert the ground-floor car park into a new entrance for the station The new staircases opened on Monday 31st March 2025 The new stairs are candidly fairly utilitarian being mainly a structure that also uses wire mesh infills instead of glass They are at the eastern end of the platform and lead down to a mid-level connection and then down to the street level it’s very much as you might expect for a DLR station a gateless space with several contactless payment machines and a screen showing train departures at the platforms above There aren’t any ticket machines or lifts at the new entrance as people are directed across the road to use the existing machines and lifts at the original entrance TfL’s Head of Operations for the DLR said: “It is great news that the second entrance at Blackwall DLR station has opened as planned This new entrance will offer customers more choice and convenience when using the station and encourage more people to make the most of what the DLR has to offer.” This website has been running now for over a decade, and while advertising revenue contributes to funding the website, it doesn't cover the costs. That is why I have set up a facility with DonorBox where you can contribute to the costs of the website and time invested in writing and research for the news articles It's very similar to the way The Guardian and many smaller websites are now seeking to generate an income in the face of rising costs and declining advertising Whether it's a one-off donation or a regular giver every additional support goes a long way to covering the running costs of this website and keeping you regularly topped up doses of Londony news and facts If you like what you read on here, then please support the website here and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" and the latest news published on ianVisits You can unsubscribe at any time from my weekly emails © ianVisits ► The Blackwall tunnel is no longer free► The Blackwall and Silvertown charge explained► What you need to know Transport for London has introduced new charges for the Blackwall tunnel and the newly-opened Silvertown tunnel TFL says the new setup should improve air quality and ease congestions but could also affect motorists commuting from South London more than others The new charges come as part of a raft of changes made by TfL to better manage traffic around the the Thames crossing The most significant is the opening of the new Silvertown Tunnel which will also be able support bus services for easier The charges can be seen in the table below but eagle-eyed viewers will notice when the peak times are and the directions they apply to peak times apply only to those travelling northbound in the morning before the working day That could mean a daily charge of £8 for vehicles south of the river who need to commute to the north compared with a total charge of £3 for those doing the opposite journey these charges apply in addition to the congestion charge (for which EVs are exempt) meaning a trip into London could cost at least £23 for some ICE cars – and that’s assuming you’re in a ULEZ-compliant car To pay for the new charge, you’ll need to visit the TfL website – though as you’d expect the TfL website is unable to handle the surge of new traffic so it’s not working at the time of writing TfL will charge you peak prices at all charging times for paying on your phone or online – but you get off-peak prices if you sign up to its Auto Pay service  The TfL says if you drive through either tunnel during charging times you will have until midnight on the third day after your journey to pay The TfL is at least allowing discounts to selected residents and providing they meet certain conditions, they could be eligible for a 50 per cent discount. These discounts should apply for at least three years after the tunnel’s opening. You can find a list of which residents could be entitled here. For South Londoners, the M25 or the Rotherhithe or Limehouse Link tunnel may now be the cheapest, fastest ways to head north. The latter two tunnels are free, and the Dartford Crossing remains free for motorcycle and is just £2.50 for cars – but it’s even cheaper if you pre-pay.  What do you think of the new charges? Sound off in the comments! Curtis Moldrich is CAR magazine’s Digital Editor and has worked for the brand for the past five years. He’s responsible for online strategy, including CAR’s website, social media channels such as X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, and helps on wider platform strategy as CAR magazine branches out on to Apple News+ and more. CAR's Digital Editor, F1 and sim-racing enthusiast. Partial to clever tech and sports bikes Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Drivers in London will have to pay a toll when using the Blackwall Tunnel from Monday as the new Silvertown Tunnel opens linking the east of the Capital to the southeast The charge will be implemented on the Silvertown Tunnel as well as drivers will pay £8 for return journeys at peak times while large vans will have to fork out £13 Announcing the development’s opening, Sadiq Khan said on social media it was “transforming travel across the Thames cutting journey times & improving air quality new free zero-emission buses & cycle shuttle it will encourage more people to switch to greener transport.” These charges are being put in place to help manage traffic levels across the tunnels as well as helping to repay costs for building the new tunnel and fund its ongoing maintenance and operation Those driving through either tunnel will have to pay each time they cross unless they or their vehicle is exempt from paying the charge and the tunnels are set to be open 24 hours a day every day of the week The Silvertown Tunnel is a 1.4km long tunnel stretching from Silvertown, east London to the Greenwich Peninsula in south east London The project was approved by mayor Sadiq Khan Costing £2.2 billion, it has been funded through private finance and TfL are set to pay back £100 million a year through the money made via the toll It will run adjacent to the Blackwall Tunnel, built in the Victorian era, which takes drivers from near the O2 Arena under the River Thames to the East India Dock Road in Blackwall. The Silvertown Tunnel was built with the aim of reducing congestion and air quality around the Blackwall Tunnel, as TfL predicted they were set to worsen as London’s population grows. They said the user charges would help manage the environmental impact of traffic. TfL have said the new tunnel will offer new routes for more people, as around 21 buses are set to travel through it every hour from 7am til 7pm, Monday to Friday. There will also be a dedicated bike bus shuttle service to transport cyclists and their bikes across the river. The Silvertown development is the first new Thames tunnel for 58 years. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Photo from Bridge House Estates - Cecelina Photography Charges to use Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels could lead to more traffic at other crossings including Rotherhithe Tunnel and Tower Bridge as motorists seek to avoid the toll the authority in charge of the bridge has warned Silvertown Tunnel linking Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Docks is opening on Monday Motorists will have to pay £4 to use the tunnel during peak hours while drivers of large vans and heavy goods vehicles will have to pay £6.50 and £10 respectively.  Once Silvertown is open the same charges will also apply to the Blackwall tunnel Transport officials have said the tolls are necessary to avoid creating congestion at Blackwall caused by motorists avoiding the paid tunnel defeating the purpose of Silvertown which was built to relieve pressure from Blackwall The new tunnel has been specifically designed to accommodate heavy vehicles which often get stuck in Blackwall and cause lengthy delays However the body in charge of Tower Bridge has warned that imposing charges will simply lead to traffic building up at other Thames crossings the chief operator of the City Bridge Authority which manages the five Thames bridges in central London at no cost to the taxpayer told The Times that more traffic would have a “detrimental impact” on the Grade 1-listed Tower Bridge crossing “It’s vital we do everything we can to protect the 130-year-old structure… We would urge TfL to closely monitor any impact on traffic flow.” TFL said it does not anticipate ‘significant impacts’ at Tower Bridge Southwark Council is also concerned there could be increasing pressure on Rotherhithe Tunnel which connects Rotherhithe and Limehouse However Latham said since large vehicles can’t access Rotherhithe Tunnel Tower Bridge was more likely to bear the impact of heavy vans escaping the tunnel charge Tower Bridge is held up by bascules and suspenders and partly opens in the middle to let boats pass through This design makes it more vulnerable to being worn-down due to overuse as the carriage-way is more fragile National Highways has warned the effects of the tunnel on traffic could reverberate as far down Dartford Crossing on the M25 A spokesperson for TFL said: “We have undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the scheme impacts including on traffic at adjacent crossings and have used this updated work to inform decisions on the user charge levels and discounts We do not anticipate significant impacts at Tower Bridge but we have made legally binding commitments to closely monitor this before and after the tunnel opens and act if impacts are notably different to those predicted.” We'll never send you spam or share your email address Find out more in our Privacy Policy The same old story of the UK being unable to build The flippant excuses being given here indicate there is no guarantee any of the tolls will be used to maintain or improve public transport for years to come I noticed the face lift given to the frontage of Euston Station has not resulted in any improvement to the bus station and stops there which continue in a seedy highly congested pinched corner of the space available 3/4 of which has been givenn over to London taxis Public money to build HS2 and terminus at Euston but the bus waiting area and links are just not up to scratch Please enter your username or email address to reset your password Transport for London’s (TfL) Silvertown Tunnel opens on 7 April 2025 From then onwards there will be crossing charges for using both Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnels – but there is a 50% discount for residents on low incomes sole traders and blue badge holders – but you must be signed up to TfL’s Auto Pay There will be concessions for residents to take advantage of the new and more frequent public transport connections via bus Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Action said: “TfL’s Silvertown Tunnel is nearly open we want to make sure our residents and businesses benefit from the new river-crossing It will bring free and more frequent public transport options like a new express bus service and cycle shuttle We also don’t want residents on a low income charities and businesses to miss out on the discounts available if they use a car If you plan to use either the Silvertown Tunnel when it opens or the Blackwall Tunnel make sure you have registered for TfL’s AutoPay.”  The Silvertown Tunnel will link Silvertown in east London to Greenwich Peninsula It will help reduce congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel help make peak time journeys faster and provide an alternative crossing when the Blackwall Tunnel is closed for repairs.  The City Bridge Foundation says increased traffic from the new charges will have a ‘detrimental impact’ on the famous landmark News | Transport Charging motorists to drive through the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels in east London may have a “detrimental” impact on Tower Bridge Transport for London will open the Silvertown tunnel, linking the Greenwich Peninsula and Royal Docks next week— the first new Thames road crossing in half a century Drivers will have to pay a toll to use the new twin-bore tunnel during peak hours — as well as the adjacent Blackwall tunnel connecting Tower Hamlets and Greenwich — from Monday Drivers will pay a peak rate of £4 per crossing and £1.50 off-peak Transport officials believe that the tolls are necessary to avoid congestion caused by drivers opting for the free road crossing over and above the paid tunnel negating the benefits of the Silvertown project TfL are also adamant that motorists paying to drive through the £2.2 billion Silvertown tunnel which had originally planned to open in 2023 but was beset by delays due to rising costs and a fire involving a faulty conveyor belt will help to fund improvements in public transport elsewhere in the capital which looks after five Thames bridges in central London at no cost to the taxpayer is worried that motorists will divert to the closest practical free river crossing said increased traffic will have a "detrimental impact" on the Grade 1-listed landmark famous for its Gothic towers and raising bascules allowing ships to pass beneath Mr Latham told The Times: "It's vital we do everything we can to protect the 130-year-old structure.. We would urge TfL to closely monitor any impact on traffic flow." Southwark Council also fears a knock-on impact on the Rotherhithe tunnel which could be used by drivers looking to avoid the new charge at the 128-year-old Blackwall tunnel National Highways is concerned that more traffic may use the Dartford Crossings on the M25 which at £2.50 per crossing is significantly cheaper than both the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels TfL claims its modelling suggested there would be no significant increase in traffic on Tower Bridge The Blackwall tunnel is used by around 100,000 vehicles a day and it is expected that around 25,000 people will use the Silvertown tunnel Good service on all London Underground lines - live 'Fire risk' e-bikes banned from Tube - but OK on Silvertown shuttle bus How Give Your Best aims to solve clothing poverty in the UK The Standard was among a group of journalists invited to see inside the Silvertown project on Monday, a week ahead of its opening. London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan inherited the Silvertown proposals from his predecessor Boris Johnson in the face of objections from environmental campaigners and some Labour councils east London has been plagued by the Blackwall (tunnel) being unreliable and the environmental and economic impacts that queuing has and provides a reliable alternative when we do need to close Blackwall.” Mr Rowe said: “We are absolutely proud of this scheme many benefits to this part of London in terms of improving the environment resolving the issues of constant queuing at Blackwall and providing that reliable means of being able to cross the river.” A TfL spokesperson added: “We have undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the scheme impacts Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary  Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints Stacey Solomon 'regrets doing reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Stacey Solomon 'regrets reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Sadiq Khan urged by Liberal Democrats to do more to ‘ensure local people are fully aware of the discounts available to them’ Concerns have been raised at City Hall as data suggests only 1,131 Londoners, businesses and charities have applied for discounts to drive through the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels Low-income Londoners in boroughs near the soon-to-open Silvertown Tunnel and the neighbouring Blackwall Tunnel are eligible for a 50 per cent discount on the charge to cross the river sole traders and charities are meanwhile entitled to get £1 off the tunnels’ off-peak charge But according to data published by Sir Sadiq Khan’s office only 904 residents and 227 businesses and charities had applied for the discounts The application window to ‘pre-register’ for the discounts opened on January 27 Hina Bokhari, the London Assembly’s Liberal Democrat group leader, said the “low take-up” was “very worrying”, and urged the mayor to “ensure local people are fully aware of the discounts available to them” The mayor’s office said Transport for London (TfL) has “launched a comprehensive multi-channel campaign” to raise awareness of the discounts and is trying to reach “as many people as possible” The Silvertown Tunnel will open on April 7, and will link Silvertown, close to Canning Town, with the Greenwich Peninsula It will cost £4 to use the tunnel at peak hours The neighbouring 128-year-old Blackwall Tunnel will have the same charges apply to it from the day that the Silvertown Tunnel opens The low income residents discount is available to Londoners living in 13 boroughs north and south of the tunnel who are in receipt of certain benefits According to the statistics released by Sir Sadiq in response to a written question from Ms Bokhari a total of 779 residents had applied for the discount A further 125 people had applied without providing all of the required evidence - for example because they may have only recently moved to the area The off-peak discount for charities and small businesses is more limited, as it only applies to those in Greenwich, Newham and Tower Hamlets rather than the further 10 boroughs covered by the residents discount only 53 applications had been received from Tower Hamlets with a further 73 in Newham and 101 in Greenwich Ulez: Is Sadiq Khan planning to change the rules on which vehicles have to pay Cenotaph protest offence comes ‘at expense’ of other proposed crimes Train disruption until end of day as 'incident' closes lines into Kings Cross - live Meet the entrepreneur turning plastic waste into something wonderful It is unclear how many of the total 1,131 discount applications were successful “The low take-up of discounts for low income east-Londoners and local businesses around the Silvertown Tunnel is very worrying,” said Ms Bokhari “The mayor doesn’t like talking about the Silvertown Tunnel which is why we call it his ‘dirty little secret’ but his lack of openness about it means not enough Londoners know about the discounts they could apply for “The tunnel is an environmental and financial millstone for east Londoners and the mayor should be doing more to own up to the impacts it will have and ensure local people are fully aware of discounts available to them.” pollution and carbon emissions - and point to TfL modelling which suggested roughly 100,000 motorists a day will continue to use the Blackwall Tunnel – and 15,000 to 30,000 a day will use the new Silvertown Tunnel Speaking at a TfL board meeting on February 5 TfL’s chief customer and strategy officer Alex Williams admitted: “Uptake [for discounts] is not as great as I’d like so we’re looking at more communication work on that but it [the applications system] is open and functioning.” TfL commissioner Andy Lord encouraged all board members to do their bit to raise awareness of the discounts when talking to east Londoners about the Silvertown Tunnel In a separate written response to Ms Bokhari Sir Sadiq said: “Messaging explaining the low- income and business discount is appearing in local press supported by a general discounts message in video on demand channels over 1.5m leaflets have been delivered to residents in 13 east London boroughs over 80,000 leaflets have been direct mailed to businesses in Greenwich Newham and Tower Hamlets where the business discount will be available and 35,000 leaflets have been printed for face-to-face distribution in high footfall locations such as shopping centres “Over 2.8 million emails have been sent to customers on the TfL database including local residents and businesses Information is also available on TfL’s website “TfL is also working closely with its stakeholders including boroughs MPs and those representing low-income Londoners businesses and disability and accessibility stakeholders to ensure that messaging around pre-registration and the discounts available reaches as many people as possible.” Thousands sign petition amid concern at combined impact of tunnel toll The forthcoming toll on the Blackwall tunnel could result in some drivers paying up to “£35 to £40 each day” to get to work Transport for London announced last week that tolls will be introduced at Blackwall tunnel – for the first time in 130 years – from Monday April 7 in conjunction with the opening on the same day of the nearby Silvertown tunnel Both tunnels will have the same toll levies. Car drivers, and drivers of small vans, will have to pay £1.50 off peak and £4 per crossing at peak times, while drivers of large vans will pay £6.50 at peak times. Tory MP Louie French said that some drivers would have to pay the tunnel toll, the £12.50 ultra-low emission zone levy and the £15 congestion charge if they entered central London in a Ulez-non-compliant vehicle He has launched a petition calling on London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan to scrap the Blackwall tunnel toll More than 6,500 people have signed the online petition Mr French said the Blackwall tunnel tolls were “likely to impact over 100,000 drivers in the east and south-east of London every single day” He warned of a “congestion nightmare” as drivers sought to avoid paying the Blackwall or Silvertown tunnel tolls by diverting through the Rotherhithe tunnel or travelling via the Dartford crossing on the M25 motorway said: “In addition to the mayor’s expansion of the Ulez zone and the increased charges for the congestion charge this new toll could see drivers having to pay around £35 to £40 each day just to get to work – that is before we consider the impact of fuel costs or parking charges in the capital “This is deeply unfair on hard-working drivers across the capital – the likes of small business owners or those that need to see friends and family on either side of the river “It is especially unfair when you consider the large number of free crossings elsewhere in the capital.” Elizabeth line and Northern Line hit by severe delays during rush hour - LIVE London stations closed this weekend: full list Mayor hails impact of mentor provision for 100,000 young Londoners Enjoy a taste of the high life in the Algarve and Tenerife The Ulez was expanded across Greater London in August 2023 More than 97 per cent of cars seen being driven within Greater London are Ulez compliant and not liable for the £12.50 levy but only about 90 per cent of vans comply wit the exhaust emission rules This means that about 53,000 cars and 23,000 vans spotted by TfL cameras in London each day are liable for the Ulez About 40,000 vehicles a day are liable for the congestion charge. The congestion charge’s operating hours are 7am-6pm on weekdays and midday to 6pm at weekends. The weekend charging hours were introduced by Sir Sadiq during the pandemic. Previously Drivers will have to pay to use the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels between 6am and 10pm seven days a week Peak hours apply 6am-10am northbound and 4pm-7pm southbound on weekdays drivers will have to register with TfL’s AutoPay system to qualify for off-peak rates or will be charged peak rates throughout the day TfL said that 1.5m drivers had now signed up for AutoPay – about 200,000 more since last summer TfL defines small vans - those that will pay £4 at peak times - as being those that weigh up to and including 1.305 tonnes unladen Large vans - which attract a £6.50 peak toll - weigh more than 1.305 tonnes unladen and up to and including 3.5 tonnes Mr French said he believed TfL would have to introduce a toll at the Rotherhithe tunnel - but TfL commissioner Andy Lord said last September that it had “no plans” to do so. Mr French said: “The likelihood [is that] many of these 100,000 drivers who use the Blackwall crossing each day will look to use other crossings such as the Rotherhithe tunnel “It appears only a matter of time before TfL and Sadiq Khan look to introduce a toll on the Rotherhithe crossing and the congestion nightmare feels like it is only just beginning.” A TfL spokesperson said the Silvertown tunnel would make journeys faster and more reliable, and “up to 20 minutes quicker at peak times”. “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,” TfL said 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 “The Rotherhithe tunnel and Woolwich ferry will also still allow drivers to cross the river in east London without paying a user charge and buses using both crossings will be free for at least the first year.” Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy London without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. London exemptions and how to payA toll for the Blackwall tunnel has come into force – here’s everything you need to know Way back in summer 2023, TfL announced that the Blackwall Tunnel would soon start charging a toll fee for drivers. The tunnel, which is one of London’s busiest and most important Thames crossings apparently needs a charge in order to help pay for maintenance – as well as to encourage drivers to use the Silvertown Tunnel.  In November 2024 TfL confirmed exactly how much the toll fees for both the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels would be but it’ll vary in peak and off-peak times – and there will be exemptions.  Nearly two years on, the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnel fees are upon us. The Silvertown crossing has opened and on the same day a toll fee came into effect for both tunnels Make sure you’re ready to pay – a fee to use the tunnels started on Monday, April 7 which are 6am to 10am northbound and 4pm to 7pm southbound on weekdays car and small van drivers are charged £4 each way these drivers are charged £1.50 each way These fees slightly change for motorbikes (£1.50 off-peak £6.50 peak) and HGVs (£5 off-peak There are a few ways to pay the fee. TfL says the easiest is to use TfL Autopay, which you can register for here You can add up to five vehicles per account and it ensures that you always pay the lowest fare for your vehicle type and the time of day you are using the tunnels.  If you’re unlucky enough to be using the tunnels in peak times on a roundtrip cars and small vans are charged £8 large vans £13 and HGVs £20.  There are also a number of exemptions coaches and vehicles with nine seats or more registered with the DVLA are exempt blue badge holders and wheelchair-accessible private hire vehicles.  NHS staff and patients are eligible for reimbursements and a 50 percent discount will be available for low-income drivers in 12 east and south-east London boroughs and the City of London Small businesses in the boroughs of Newham Tower Hamlets and Greenwich can apply for a £1 off-peak discount for at least a year As expected, many regular users of the Blackwall Tunnel are not happy about the introduction of a toll fee. There was a petition urging Tower Hamlets Council to consider alternatives to a toll a group that campaigns against air pollution said: ‘How is it fair that residents and businesses in the east are paying for infrastructure such as this and then those in the west expect a blank cheque to fix Victorian bridges?’ He also questioned the decision not to exempt electric vans from the fees Some climate activists have expressed concerns about the impact of the Silvertown Tunnel on traffic and air pollution More recently, City Bridge Foundation (custodian of Tower Bridge) has said the new tolls may have a ‘detrimental’ impact on Tower Bridge in order to avoid the Blackwall and Silvertown tolls motorists will turn to the closest free crossing instead – thereby using Tower Bridge One way to avoid paying the toll is to only use the tunnels at night You can also use alternative routes that are not subject to the toll The Rotherhithe tunnel and Tower Bridge are both nearby crossings that currently do not have a toll though be warned that the Rotherhithe has rather strict vehicle size limits.  The penalty charge for non-payment of the new tolls is £180 though this will be reduced to £90 if paid within two weeks.  Thousands of residents across 13 boroughs can get a 50 percent discount on the toll. Find out who is eligible and how to apply here London travel disruption in April 2025: full list of TfL tube and train closures this month Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! tiktokfacebooktwitteryoutubeAbout us Contact us linking Silvertown in east London to the Greenwich Peninsula It will help reduce congestion at Blackwall Tunnel help make peak time journeys faster and provide an alternative crossing when Blackwall Tunnel is closed for essential maintenance and repairs Silvertown Tunnel will help enable faster cross-river journeys at peak times (06:00-10:00 northbound and southbound 16:00-19:00 between north and south of the River Thames in east London helping to reduce congestion in and around Blackwall Tunnel This is based on modelled data compared to a scenario without Silvertown Tunnel (see our User Charging Assessment Framework for more information) In addition to existing Blackwall Tunnel services zero-emission (at the tailpipe) bus services through Silvertown Tunnel offer new routes and better access to more destinations there are 21 buses an hour during peak times 07:00 to 19:00 Monday to Friday These are the new express bus route Superloop SL4 and extended route 129 Route 108 will continue through Blackwall Tunnel A dedicated bus lane in both directions through Silvertown Tunnel now allows double-deck buses to cross the river east of Tower Bridge for the first time A new dedicated service lets cyclists take their bikes on a shuttle bus through Silvertown Tunnel with clear directions to cycleways from the stops on both sides of the river Stops for this service are located at Seagull Lane (north stop) and Millennium Way (south stop) There are 5 buses per hour between 06:30 and 21:30 This service will be free to use for cyclists for at least 12 months from 7 April 2025 All buses are zero-emission at the tailpipe.  For the safety of both cyclists and drivers cycling and walking through the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels is not be permitted Find out more about the cycle shuttle There are concessions for local residents to take advantage of the new public transport connections Local residents can benefit from free pay as you go bus fares for at least 12 months from 7 April 2025, on 3 routes which serve the boroughs of Greenwich These routes are the new express bus service Superloop SL4 and extended route 129 which goes through Silvertown Tunnel and the existing route 108 through Blackwall Tunnel Pay as you go customers can start and end their journeys at any point along the bus routes and customers must always touch in as they board the bus customers must use one of the following valid payment methods: you must touch in with a valid contactless card or device so no money will be taken from your chosen payment method You need to ensure your payment method is valid and that it  doesn't have a negative balance There are no changes to the Hopper fare or pay as you go fare caps There are no changes to when 60+ London Oyster and Older Person's Freedom Passes can be used This means that 60+ London Oyster cards and Older Person's Freedom Passes will not be valid on these 3 bus routes on weekdays between 04:30 - 08:59 Anyone wanting to use these bus routes during these hours will need to use another Oyster card or contactless card as they board customers using pay as you go for journeys between the following station pairs will have their fares refunded:  Customers must touch in and out at the station as usual and the fare for the journey will be taken as normal A refund will automatically be issued to customers' cards within 14 days of completing the journey - no further customer actions are needed If a customer doesn't touch in and out correctly for their journey it will be classed as incomplete and will not be eligible for a refund Customers must touch in and out at stations as usual and the fare for the journey will be taken A refund will automatically be issued to customers' cards within 14 days of completing the journey Oyster card customers will need to touch in as part of a journey to ensure their refund is loaded onto their Oyster card If a customer misses this 4-day window, they will need to contact customer services on 0343 222 1234 (call charges may apply) to request the refund Residents living in 12 east London boroughs or the City of London could be eligible for a 50% discount on the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels charge Residents must live in Barking & Dagenham This discount is available for a period of 3 years from 7 April 2025 You need to register before using the tunnels and allow at least 10 days for your application to be processed sole traders and charities may be eligible for a £1 discount on the off-peak charge on a maximum of 3 vehicles The off-peak charge is only available for vehicles registered with TfL on Auto Pay sole trader or charity must be registered and operate from an address within one of the boroughs of: Greenwich There is also a 100% discount for Blue Badge holders vehicles with 9+ seats and recovery and breakdown vehicles registered with TfL NHS vehicles and disabled taxation class vehicles are also exempt from the tunnels charge Taxis licensed by TfL are exempt from charges Zero-emission capable and wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles licensed by TfL will not be charged when carrying out a booking For a full list of exempt vehicles or to apply for a discount, see discounts and exemptions NHS staff and patients may be eligible to claim back certain charges through the NHS reimbursement scheme Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels resident leaflet Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels business leaflet Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels resident leaflet (Easy Read) Mayor Sadiq Khan’s £2bn scheme means drivers will be charged to use Blackwall tunnel for first time in 130 years The cost of driving through the new Silvertown tunnel has been revealed by Transport for London It says that – as expected – the peak hours toll will be £4 and the off-peak rate £1.50 The same tolls will be levied on the Blackwall tunnel How to avoid paying the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnel toll: all you need to know about Sadiq Khan's new £4 road charge Silvertown tunnel 'bike bus': New details emerge of cyclists-only shuttle service under Thames TfL boss says 'no plans' to charge motorists.. Are the Royal Docks set to be the new King's Cross This has already led to protests as the Blackwall tunnel – which is used by many thousands of motorists a day and links the A2 in south London with the A12 in east London – has been free to use since opening in 1897 Peak hours will be limited to weekdays - for fours in the morning However, drivers will only qualify for the £1,50 rate if they sign up to TfL’s “auto pay” scheme that automatically debits the levy from their bank account Those that fail to sign up will have to pay the peak rate at all times when charging applies Small vans will be charged the same as cars TfL has yet to announce a date for the opening of the new tunnel which will link North Greenwich with Canning Town and the Royal Docks other than saying it is expected to open in the first three months of 2025 TfL says the charges should make peak journeys up to 20 minutes quicker drivers often get stuck in queues to enter the tunnel The tolls are due to be rubber stamped by the TfL board Mr Khan said: “Londoners face chronic traffic congestion on the approaches to the Blackwall tunnel which was never designed for the levels of traffic now crossing the river in east London The new Silvertown tunnel will ease congestion for drivers reduce journey times and help manage air pollution exemptions and discounts will support Londoners in a variety of ways and help local residents take full advantage of the new bus and cycle connections.” said: "As we prepare for the opening of Silvertown Tunnel in the Spring and following public consultation we are now asking the TfL Board to make a final decision on the charges discounts and exemptions for the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels there would likely be high levels of traffic and congestion which would lead to detrimental air quality impacts "These measures will manage traffic demand as well as the environmental impacts and ensure the new tunnel delivers on its objectives of reducing congestion and providing resilience at the Blackwall tunnel while ensuring we support local residents on low income we will carry out a major marketing campaign to encourage drivers to sign up to TfL AutoPay ensuring Londoners can benefit from the off-peak discounts from launch TfL proposed a series of charges in a public consultation in July This was primarily aimed at securing feedback on discounts for motorists living close to the tunnel in east and south-east London rather than providing a forum for opposition to the wider scheme The consultation proposed that car drivers should pay £1.50 per crossing between 6am and 10pm However there were concerns that the £1.50 rate would be £1 cheaper than the £2.50 charged for the Dartford crossing – raising the possibility that traffic could divert through south-east and east London in preference to remaining on the M25 The only change that has been made in light of the consultation is to the rules around electric vans to ensure that they are not charged more due to their weight placing them in a higher user charge category the discount for borough refuse vehicles is being expanded to cover all east London boroughs See here for full details of the background to the tolls - and how you can avoid paying them The twin-bore Silvertown tunnel has been built under a £2bn PFI scheme, with the toll revenues required to pay the annual charges First proposed during Boris Johnson’s time as mayor the Silvertown scheme was retained – but modified - by Sadiq Khan despite determined protests from clean air campaigners and the opposition of Labour-run councils including Newham and Greenwich Last month TfL revealed plans to create a fleet of “bike buses” to transport cyclists through the Silvertown tunnel. This will be the only way for cyclists to use the tunnel as riding a bike is banned in both the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels Published on 26th November 2024 by ianVisits in Transport News The charges to use the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels have been announced by Transport for London (TfL) ahead of the new Silvertown Tunnel opening in Spring 2025 the charges will apply equally to both the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels equally TfL has now confirmed that peak hour charges (6am to 10am northbound and 4pm to 7pm southbound Monday to Friday) will be £2.50 for motorcycles and £4 for cars and small vans The offpeak rate will be a flat charge of £1.50 for cars Those rates apply to people who are registered for TfL AutoPay blue badge holders and Zero-Emission Capable and wheelchair-accessible private hire vehicles registered with TfL will not pay to use the tunnel as well as staff and patients eligible for the NHS reimbursement scheme coaches and vehicles with nine seats or more registered with the DVLA would automatically be exempt from Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnel charges A range of concessions and discounts has been proposed which would be available for low-income residents in 12 east and southeast London boroughs and the City of London Bus journeys made on three cross-river routes that serve Newham Tower Hamlets and Greenwich – all of which will be zero-emission – as well as cross-river journeys on the DLR from Cutty Sark to Island Gardens and from Woolwich Arsenal to King George V will also be free for at least one year The ‘cycle shuttle-bus’ service will also allow people with cycles to safely cross the river via a bus service for cyclists between Silvertown and North Greenwich This service will run between 06:30am and 9:30pm will operate for at least three years and also be free to use for at least the first year The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Londoners face chronic traffic congestion on the approaches to the Blackwall Tunnel “TfL’s proposed package of concessions Work on the new Silvertown Tunnel is continuing apace with construction work on the main tunnel now complete TfL and Riverlinx are now working to ensure that all the new safety systems within the tunnel are working the opening date for the tunnel will be confirmed They aim is to prevent regular commuters taking up limit capacity by getting them using public transport or moving to the side of the river they work on before and ever since the congestion charge was introduced Might be because the 20mph roads slowing traffic down and causing congestion or is it the measures being put in to “slow” traffic down which is leading congestion – or maybe both The £4 charge is excessive – so the new tunnel is to reduce congestion but also lets try and stop people from using them by saying it’s due to congestion look we’ve built a new tunnel to reduce congestion we’ll charge you £4 each way during peak hours – in x years it’ll be free again (it won’t happen look at Dartford) Funny how congestion isn’t a problem in West Lodnon that is best solved by a tax isn’t it No thats just reserved for the poorer relations Also why do the cyclists not have to pay for their extra infrastructure Only group who get free transport infrastructure Cyclists pay bugger all taxes compared to any other method of travel Its a perk for being the lycra clad middle class So there’ll be even more congestion on tower bridge.fantastic Only if you’re weird and think driving into central London paying the Congestion Charge and driving back out again is a good use of your time and money Crossing Tower Bridge doesn’t incur a congestion charge as it on the Inner London Ring Road It’s going get a lot busier unless some form of charging is imposed TfL isn’t responsible for licensing cars – that’s the DVLA I don’t think it’ll make any difference to congestion whatsoever I give it less than a month before Greenwich and Bow are gridlocked again Incident sparked major congestion in central London News | London A man scaled Tower Bridge forcing police to shut the landmark Thames crossing to traffic The incident sparked congestion to Limehouse back along the Highway and in the one-way system back to Aldgate. Buses were placed on diversion Police said the man scaled the world-famous landmark shortly before 11am but he was brought down safely at around 12.20pm Tower Bridge posted on X at 12.45pm that the crossing had reopened Meanwhile, the Blackwall Tunnel was also forced to shut southbound following a lorry crash at around 8.50am The incident comes a day after a man was arrested after spending more than 16 hours barefoot and holding a Palestine flag while perched on the clock tower of Big Ben The man scaled the Elizabeth Tower on Saturday morning and finally came down just after midnight on Sunday with images from the scene showing the man being lifted to the ground in a cherry picker the force said: “The man has now been arrested This has been a protracted incident due to the specifics of where the man was located and the need to ensure the safety of our officers “We worked with other agencies including the London Fire Brigade and deployed specialist officers to bring this incident to a close as quickly as possible whilst minimising risk to life “We have been in close liaison with the Parliamentary Estate throughout and all roads have been reopened.” Emergency crews had been at the scene with dozens of uniformed police officers guarding the cordon which extended from Bridge Street to Westminster Bridge Drivers have to pre-register to get 50% discount available to residents of 13 boroughs Thousands of London motorists are being given the chance to drive through the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels for as little as 75p per trip Drivers living in 13 east and south-east London boroughs can apply for a 50 per cent discount on the tolls – which start on April 7 – if they are on low incomes This will cut the cost of the toll from £4 to £2 at peak times and from £1.50 to 75p at off-peak times drivers who want to benefit from the reductions have to register in advance with Transport for London drivers have to live in one of 13 boroughs – Barking & Dagenham They also have to be in receipt of State benefits such as income support To apply for a discount on the tunnel tolls, visit the TfL website It has also emerged that two bus routes that go through the Silvertown tunnel – the 129 and the new SL4 Superloop express bus - will be free to use across their entire routes for a year as will the 108 bus through the Blackwall tunnel Previously it had been thought that only journeys between bus stops immediately adjacent to the tunnels would be free The London Question: Will the Silvertown tunnel be bad for London drivers are not charged to use the Blackwall tunnel The Silvertown tunnel toll is needed to repay its £2.2bn costs of its construction and operation which are set at the same rate as the Silvertown tunnel tolls are needed to prevent drivers shunning the new tunnel because of its cost Peak tolls apply on weekdays to northbound journeys between 6am and 10am and to southbound journeys between 4pm and 7pm However drivers have to register in advance with TfL’s AutoPay system to receive the off-peak rate – or will be charged £4 per crossing There is no charge to use either tunnel between 10pm and 6am TfL is also offering a £1 discount on the standard off-peak charge for at least one year for small businesses sole traders and charities registered in Tower Hamlets This is available on a maximum of three vehicles Cyclists are banned from the Blackwall tunnel but will be able to travel through the Silvertown tunnel on a “bike bus” TfL has spent almost £2m on the bike shuttle and has attracted controversy by “stealing” electric buses from another route to convert into the bike shuttles. DLR journeys between stations adjacent to the Silvertown tunnel will also be free for at least a year – namely, trips between Woolwich Arsenal and King George V, and between Cutty Sark and Island Gardens. TfL says the discounts are its way of “supporting the local community and those on certain benefits to use the [Silvertown] tunnel affordably”. The discounts are different to the off-peak discount available to all drivers via TfL AutoPay and must be applied for separately. Many drivers who pay the congestion charge or Ulez levy may already be registered for AutoPay and do not need to take further action. Registering for TfL Auto Pay is free, and there are no renewal fees. Cars, small vans and motorbikes will pay £4 at peak times and £1.50 off peak per crossing. Larger vans pay £6.50 at peak times and £2.50 off peak. HGVs pay £10 peak and £5 off peak. Christina Calderato, director of strategy at TfL, said: “With just over two months to go until the Silvertown Tunnel opens on April 7, we’re pleased to have opened pre-registration for discounts for low-income residents, local businesses and charities for Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnel user charges. “Registration is easy and we would encourage all those who are eligible to sign up to ensure they can benefit from reduced charges. “These discounts and concessions are in addition to the free cross-river bus journeys we are offering on routes serving both the Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnels for at least a year, and the cycle-shuttle service which will allow cyclists to safely cross the river. “We also encourage all drivers and fleet operators to register for TfL Auto Pay, to ensure their registered vehicles benefit from off-peak charges. Registering for TfL Auto Pay is free, and there are no renewal fees.” To register for TfL Auto Pay, please visit https://tfl.gov.uk/auto-pay The full range of benefits that will enable residents to get a 50 per cent discount are: income support, income-related employment & support allowance, income-based jobseekers allowance, universal credit, pension credit, child tax credit, working tax credit, carer's allowance and housing benefit. VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Lady Victoria Starmer The controversial Silvertown Tunnel in London is expected to open in early 2025 Drivers using the Blackwall and new Silvertown tunnels in London will be charged £4 during peak times and £1.50 during off-peak times The Blackwall Tunnel which links the A2 in south London with the A12 in east London has been free to use since opening in 1897 While an exact date has not been confirmed for the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel which was built to try and alleviate congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel it is expected to be in operation within the first three months of 2025 Drivers will only be eligible for the £1.50 rate if they sign up to Transport for London’s (TFL) “auto pay” scheme which automatically deducts the fee from their bank account Peak hours will be limited to weekdays and will run from 6am to 10am northbound and 4pm to 7pm southbound Cars and small vans can expect to pay £4 each way during this period and £1.50 per vehicle outside this timeframe Motorbikes will be charged £2.50 each way during peak hours and £1.50 during off-peak times Large vans will pay £6.50 each way during peak hours and £2.50 during off-peak times while HGV drivers will pay £10 each way during peak hours and £5 during off-peak times discounts and exemptions will also be in place blue badge holders and wheelchair-accessible private hire vehicles Both NHS staff and patients will be eligible for reimbursements – and a 50 per cent discount will be available for low-income drivers in 12 east and southeast London boroughs and the City of London small businesses in the boroughs of Newham Tower Hamlets and Greenwich can apply for a £1 off-peak discount for at least a year The penalty charge for non-payment of the new tolls will be £180 a figure that drops to £90 if paid within two weeks It has faced fierce opposition from local residents and environmental campaigners who fear that it will increase congestion and pollution rather than reducing it, with both Newham and Greenwich councils opposing the project. TfL said the tunnel would “reduce the environmental impact of traffic congestion on some of London’s most polluted roads”. {"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/in_travel/in_news-and-advice/image/gallery_mpu_sb","autoGallery":true,"disableAds":false,"gallery":[{"data":{"title":"TfL Image - Inside of new Silvertown Tunnel.jpg","description":"The inside of the new Silvertown Tunnel","caption":"TfL has planned a package of discounts and green measures for east London commuters around the Blackwall Tunnel TfL has planned a package of discounts and green measures for east London commuters around the Blackwall Tunnel WATCH: TfL unveil Silvertown Tunnel benefits for drivers Local councils across London have voiced strong opposition to the new charges for the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels The controversial charging scheme has sparked different responses from boroughs affected by the river crossings with many warning of the impact it would have on commuters Greenwich Council has called for sustainable transport options while Bromley has criticised charging for the historically free Blackwall Tunnel Bexley Council has condemned the peak-time charging structure as "unfair" and discriminatory against its residents Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk which vary depending on direction and time of travel were introduced on April 7 and have become a significant point of contention between outer London boroughs and Transport for London Greenwich Council emphasised the need for sustainable transport options in their response to the consultation on the tunnel charges In a letter to Transport for London last August Councillor Averil Lekau requested "at least two (of the four) bores to be repurposed for sustainable transport." The Royal Borough also argued that car toll charges should be more than a normal bus fare suggesting the initially proposed £1.50 was too low compared to the £1.75 bus fare They also supported exemptions for NHS workers But Bromley Council has expressed disappointment over the new charges told GB News: "We welcome the new tunnel "We are sorry that despite many representations to TfL which connects Grove Park to Canary Wharf through the tunnel although we offered a suitable terminus and bus stand "We also feel that charging for the Blackwall Tunnel which has been free since its opening in 1897 is unfair on motorists as the cost of building both tunnels were paid off many years ago." Bexley Councillor Richard Diment described the charges as "a real kick in the teeth for our residents and small businesses who are being treated unfairly." The council highlighted that the peak rate charges apply to those travelling northbound from 6am to 10am and southbound from 4pm to 7pm This timing structure particularly impacts Bexley residents who commute to work in north London "Residents and businesses in Bexley have no choice but to use the tunnels given the lack of modern public transport links," Diment added The charging structure means a Bexley resident who has registered for Auto Pay would pay £4 each way during peak times The new Silvertown Tunnel opened on April 7 "help to manage pollution levels and improve cross-river public transport" He said: "We made a series of significant improvements to make the scheme greener and to include a package of measures to support Londoners "This includes ensuring there are discounts and concessions in place a free innovative cycle-shuttle service and free bus travel for pedestrians which will encourage more people to switch to greener modes of transport." Online vehicle checker now includes tunnel tolls - but doesn’t show whether discounts are available to low-income Londoners Transport for London has introduced a simple way for drivers to check whether they have to pay Sadiq Khan’s new Silvertown and Blackwall tunnel tolls It has expanded the capabilities of the online vehicle checker on the TfL website This enables motorists to discover whether they have to pay to drive in London simply by entering their vehicle registration number The online checker has already been used by millions of drivers to discover whether their vehicle is liable for the £15 congestion charge in central London or the £12.50 Ulez (ultra-low emission zone) charge that applies across Greater London The Silvertown and Blackwall tunnel tolls will go live at 6am on Monday April 7 with car drivers having to pay up to £4 per trip to use either tunnel to travel under the River Thames Peak rates will be charged on weekdays between 6am and 10am for vehicles heading northbound and between 4pm and 7pm for vehicles heading southbound At other times of the day and throughout the weekend – tolls are levied between 6am and 10pm throughout the year – the off-peak rate of £1.50 will apply However drivers have to register in advance with TfL’s AutoPay system to qualify for the £1.50 rate Those who fail to do so will be charged £4 per crossing if using the tunnels at any time during charging hours Drivers entering their vehicle registration number into the TfL vehicle checker are advised: “Pay by Auto Pay” They are told that the peak charge is £4 and the off-peak charge is £1.50 and that “if you don't have Auto Pay during charging times:£4.00 per tunnel crossing” The website advises: “Set up Auto Pay to always pay the lowest charge available for your vehicle and journey AutoPay is already in use for the C-charge and Ulez Toll levies will be automatically deducted from the driver’s chosen bank account one failing of the vehicle checker is that it will not be able to show whether drivers are entitled to pay a lower toll rate due to being on low-income benefits It will simply display the “default” rate for a vehicle based on the charge levied for each category of transport by TfL Low-income Londoners living in 12 east or south-east London boroughs or the City of London can apply for a 50 per cent discount on the tolls They need to be in receipt of a Government benefit such as income support This applies to people living in Barking & Dagenham Drivers have been able to pre-register for AutoPay and apply for discounts for the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels since January 27 However there has been concern at the low numbers seeking discounts – only about 1,100 applications have been received NHS staff and patients will be able to get the charge reimbursed Tower Hamlets and Greenwich can apply for a £1 discount on the off-peak charge for at least a year A TfL spokesman said that drivers wanting to check whether they had successfully applied for a discount should log into their “Road User Charging account” He said that drivers applying for discounts also had to be registered for TfL Auto Pay Drivers who fail to pay the tunnel toll will be fined £180 However only one penalty charge notice a day will be issued regardless of the number of unpaid crossings which links North Greenwich and the Royal Docks was built using a PFI (private finance initiative) scheme This cost about £1bn for the construction of the tunnel and £1.2bn in loan repayments TfL needs the income from the toll charges to repay the £2.2bn debt About 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles a day are expected to use Silvertown reducing the 100,000 a day currently using Blackwall meaning journeys should be quicker and less congested Buses using the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels will be free for at least a year These are the SL4 Superloop route between Grove Park and Canary Wharf that will also launch on April 7 the 129 between Great Eastern Quay and Lewisham via the Silvertown tunnel and the 108 between Stratford and Lewisham via the Blackwall tunnel A free cycle shuttle bus will also run through the Silvertown tunnel every 12 minutes between 6am and 9pm Cyclists are not allowed to ride through either tunnel Concern over 'low take-up' of Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnel toll discounts First look at unusual branding for the new £2m Silvertown tunnel bike bus Blackwall or Silvertown tunnel for 75p: TfL launches cheaper tolls for low-income Londoners Electric buses are 'stolen' from London route for Silvertown tunnel.. Sadiq Khan: Londoners 'should be incredibly proud' of 'great' Silvertown Tunnel Passengers of a new Superloop route will benefit from the scheme It’s a lucky day (or shall we say, year) for London’s bus users. Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that passengers who are set to take two routes through the Silvertown Tunnel will not have to pay for their journeys for a year Set to open on April 7, the new tunnel will connect Newham and Greenwich Peninsula While drivers travelling through the tunnel will be charged TfL is offering free bus journeys to offset the areas around the tunnel from being overwhelmed with traffic Not only that, but passengers of one bus route that serves the Blackwall Tunnel will also receive free journeys, as will another route that often carries late-night visitors of the O2 Arena Keep reading to learn more about the bus routes set to be free for a year TfL has announced the following services serving the Silvertown Tunnel will be free: SL4: A new seven-mile Superloop route arriving in April, which will run between Grove Park and Canary Wharf via the tunnel 129: An existing route from Lewisham that will terminate at a new housing development at Great Eastern Quay. After travelling through the new tunnel from North Greenwich and that the concession will be applied for entire routes it is only the 108 which is included in the concession Other routes that pass through the Blackwall Tunnel The spokesperson also confirmed that short late-night trips between North Greenwich and Lewisham – which often carries passengers from the O2 Arena – will also qualify for free travel in an attempt to clear the arena’s crowds faster after concerts and shows Motorists will be charged to use Blackwall tunnel for first time in its 130-year history The Silvertown tunnel will open on Monday April 7 – with motorists having to pay up to £4 for each journey under the Thames. The same charges will also be levied for the first time on the nearby Blackwall tunnel in a bid to prevent motorists shunning the new tunnel which has been built in a bid to ease congestion at Blackwall some councils are concerned that the new charges – which will start at 6am on the first days of the Easter school holidays – will encourage drivers to divert to free or cheaper alternatives Tower bridge or the Dartford crossing on the M25 Transport for London announced the “go live” date on Monday giving drivers three months to prepare for the new charges TfL has traditionally launched major schemes during holiday periods – such as the congestion charge and Ulez – when traffic levels are lower It is unclear whether an amnesty will be offered to drivers in the first weeks of the new tolls meaning they receive warning letters rather than fines Drivers will have to register with TfL’s AutoPay system to avoid having to pay the £4 peak toll during the off-peak period AutoPay users will pay £1.50 off-peak - while car or van drivers who fail to register will pay £4 per trip throughout charging hours Peak hours apply only on weekdays between 6am and 10am for northbound journeys and 4pm and 7pm for southbound journeys The off-peak rate applies at other times between 6am and 10pm. Between 10pm and 6am there will be no charge for either tunnel. Peak charges are £2.50 for a motorbike or moped Silvertown tunnel: TfL spends £2m on bike bus that cyclists 'don't want to use' Opening date for new London tunnel announced Elizabeth line passenger 'saved by station staff' after hand stuck in train door Drivers will not pay at physical “toll booths” but will have their bank account debited automatically after registering to pay the charge Drivers who fail to pay the toll risk being sent an £180 penalty charge notice TfL is expected to generate more than £100m a year in tunnel levies – but stands to make only about £3m a year “profit” to reinvest in other transport schemes because the repayment charges for the £2bn PFI-funded Silvertown scheme are so large TfL said that construction work at Silvertown was coming towards a close and testing was underway ahead of the opening day The Blackwall tunnel – which links the A2 in south London with the A12 in east London – has been free to use since opening in 1897 But it suffers long tailbacks throughout the day Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan who inherited the Silvertown proposals from Boris Johnson but decided to press ahead with the scheme despite the concerns of environmental campaigners and point to TfL modelling that suggests that about 100,000 motorists a day will continue to use the Blackwall tunnel – and 15,000 to 30,000 a day will use the new Silvertown tunnel of the Stop Silvertown Tunnel Traffic and Pollution money and brilliant engineering to build something that makes carbon emissions worse TfL says the charges should make journeys more reliable and up to 20 minutes quicker at peak times The Silvertown tunnel will link North Greenwich with Canning Town and the Royal Docks and offer easier access to and from Canary Wharf The final part of the mayor’s Superloop network of express buses – the SL4 which will link Canary Wharf and Grove Park – will use the Silvertown tunnel The SL4 is also due to launch on April 7 and will help to increase the number of buses crossing the river in the area from six to 21 an hour in each direction Buses using Silvertown will be free for at least the first year Cross-river journeys on the DLR from Cutty Sark to Island Gardens and from Woolwich Arsenal to King George V Cyclists will not be permitted to ride through the Silvertown tunnel but can load their bike onto a dedicated “bike bus” which will be free to use for at least the first year A fleet of three zero-emission buses will be used to operate a shuttle service between two stops The ‘south’ stop will be on Millennium Way bus stops and shelters will have a bespoke design to distinguish them from the regular bus network Further details of the bike bus branding will be revealed over the coming weeks to motorists who live in one of 13 east and south-east boroughs if they are in receipt of certain low-income benefits A consultation carried out by TfL on the proposed charges and discounts found that only 257 people and organisations out of 5,181 supported imposing tolls on the tunnels – with 1,548 opposed. Licensed black taxis are exempt from the tolls The Silvertown tunnel has been designed and built by the Riverlinx consortium which will also operate and maintain the twin-bore tunnel on behalf of TfL said the Silvertown tunnel was “testament to brilliant and ground-breaking engineering” will support growth in the local area and provide new public transport connections across the river “These measures will also help manage traffic demand as well as the environmental impacts and ensure the new tunnel delivers on its objectives of reducing traffic congestion and providing resilience at the Blackwall tunnel Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan ‘proud’ to have opened tunnel - and warns drivers not to expect any ‘grace period’ when £180 fines are not issued Motorists started to use the Silvertown Tunnel for the first time on Monday – with car drivers paying up to £4 to use the first new road crossing under the Thames for 58 years London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said he was “very proud” to have built the £2.2bn Silvertown tunnel – and even took the unusual step of praising his predecessor as mayor The opening of the mile-long twin-bore tunnel, which links North Greenwich with Canning Town and the Royal Docks, also meant that tolls were imposed for the first time at the nearby Blackwall tunnel The first vehicles used the Silvertown tunnel at about 12.15am on Monday The first northbound traffic entered the tunnel at 1.45am Tolling began at 6am – with the peak rate kicking in for northbound traffic between 6am and 10am on weekdays Car drivers pay £4 per peak crossing and £1.50 off-peak – but need to register with TfL AutoPay to receive the off-peak rate Tolls are in place at both the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels between 6am and 10pm seven days a week The other peak period is southbound on weekdays between 4pm and 7pm who rode through the tunnel on the new SL4 Superloop bus said that Mr Johnson “deserves credit” but added: “We have improved it hugely from Boris Johnson’s plans “Some of his ideas are bonkers - look at the garden bridge – but some are quite good We have improved it to make sure there are more improvements for cyclists and ensuring there are 21 zero emission buses an hour going through the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels.” He refused to say if TfL would offer drivers a “grace period” of several weeks where they would receive a warning letter rather than a £180 fine if they failed to pay the tunnel toll “It’s really important that drivers don’t rely on a grace period,” he said “My advice to anybody is to join the AutoPay scheme Transport for London and council engineers were anxiously watching to see whether the impact of the charges led to thousands of drivers diverting via the Rotherhithe tunnel or Tower Bridge However the true picture of whether the introduction of tolls at Blackwall and Silvertown changes traffic patterns may not be known for a fortnight as vehicle numbers were expected to be lower than normal due to the school Easter holidays The tunnel was built using a £2.2bn PFI finance scheme that will take 25 years to repay Its core aim is to ease congestion at Blackwall tunnel Police were on standby at the tunnel entrance in case of protests There was a small gathering outside City Hall with campaigners calling for the new tunnel to be “repurposed” for “active travel” including cyclists and public transport One lane of two in each of the two Silvertown tunnels – one northbound the other southbound – is reserved as a bus lane However HGVs and taxis can also use the bus lane Two bus services will use the Silvertown Tunnel – including the newly-launched SL4 Superloop and an extended 129 service – while the 108 bus will continue to run through the Blackwall tunnel Monday morning also saw the launch of the Silvertown “bike bus” shuttle service that will be free to use for at least a year Cyclists are not allowed to ride through the Silvertown or Blackwall tunnels The Stop the Silvertown Tunnel Coalition raised concerns that east and south-east London could see an influx of HGVs at night as the Silvertown tunnel will be free to use between 10pm and 6am meaning freight traffic may choose to use it in preference to the Dartford Crossing on the M25 Campaigners said that the ability of diesel juggernauts to use the Silvertown Tunnel would undo many of the gains from Sir Sadiq’s Ulez ultra-low emission zone and represented a “ticking time bomb” for the health of people living near the tunnel founder of the Stop the Silvertown Tunnel Coalition said: “We cannot wait for children to become sicker than they already are in some of the most polluted areas of London before we recognise the urgent need to repurpose this tunnel to make it environmentally friendly.” The tunnel has been delivered by the Riverlinx consortium The last Thames road tunnel to open was the second of the two Blackwall tunnels which opened in 1967 and is now the southbound bore which takes southbound traffic on the M25 across the Thames opened in 1991 but sits outside the Greater London boundary TfL expects drivers to pay about £100m in tolls and penalty charges Any revenue will be ploughed back into public transport schemes – but it won’t be until 2026/27 that it makes a “profit” a Green party member of the London Assembly said the tunnel would worsen traffic and pollution “The opening of Silvertown road tunnel is a reminder of the £2 billion wasted on a project that nobody in London has shown any real enthusiasm for,” she said We need river crossings that prioritise clean air safe walking and cycling with affordable public transport rather than this traffic-inducing road tunnel “The mayor has claimed to be the ‘greenest’ mayor ever with a tunnel that is the opposite of anything ‘green’ the mayor’s clunky cycle shuttle service is a half-baked impractical solution strapped onto a project that people have campaigned against for decades wait up to 12 minutes and then lug their bikes onto a bus is ridiculous especially when the entire area around the tunnel is dangerous for cycling and filled with high-risk junctions “This could easily have been solved with a proper route across the river for people walking and cycling.” TfL says it will monitor air quality on an ongoing basis It says that the Ulez emission rules will apply to vehicles using the Silvertown tunnel Low income residents of 13 east and south-east boroughs can qualify for a 50 per cent discount Newham or Tower Hamlets can get £1 off the peak rate TfL claims the new tunnel will cut peak journeys by up to 20 minutes TfL commissioner Andy Lord said: “The new Silvertown tunnel is vital to supporting growth in east and southeast London and boosting cross-river bus services and I want to thank all the engineers designers and others who have worked so hard over the years to deliver this project successfully on time and on budget “Supported by the user charges for the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels the new tunnel will also help reduce congestion and associated air quality issues around the Blackwall Tunnel with average journey time savings expected to be up to 20 minutes at peak times.” said: “Canary Wharf has never been better connected “We're glad to celebrate the opening of the Silvertown tunnel meaning faster and more reliable journeys between Canary Wharf and the south-east for our workers chief executive of business lobby group BusinessLDN said: “The Silvertown tunnel will open up new routes for Londoners across the city and help to tackle congestion in the area It marks a great example of the public and private sectors working together in partnership to deliver for the capital.” First look inside the completed Silvertown tunnel Silvertown and Blackwall tunnel tolls 'pose risk' to Tower Bridge Silvertown tunnel cycle bus: Full details revealed of all the bikes able to taken on board Silvertown and Blackwall tunnel tolls: TfL launches quick way to check if you have to pay Motorists must register their vehicle with TfL Auto Pay to qualify for £1.50 off-peak rate - or will be charged £4 peak levy But is there a way for drivers to avoid the £4 peak hour charge? Here’s all you need to know about Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan’s latest road charge The Silvertown tunnel is immediately east of the Blackwall tunnel in east London connecting the North Greenwich peninsula in south London with the Silvertown area just west of the Royal Docks in east London Its southern end is immediately adjacent to the Blackwall tunnel while its northern end is only about 100 yards west of London mayor Sir Sadiq’s new City Hall But the charge increases to £4 for northbound journeys between 6am and 10am and southbound journeys 4pm to 7pm on weekdays The easiest way to check how much you will have to pay is to visit the TfL website and enter your vehicle registration number in its “vehicle checker”. Since March, TfL has updated its vehicle checker to include the tolls for the two tunnels, in addition to other road charges such as the congestion charge and the Ulez The charges are exactly the same for the Blackwall tunnel as the Silvertown tunnel: £1.50 at most times £4 during the two peak periods and free between 10pm and 6am It will cost £8 a day for drivers heading north through the Blackwall or Silvertown tunnel during the morning rush hour and south during the evening peak But if staying up late or getting up early is not possible the only other way to avoid the toll is to catch a bus through the tunnel or the DLR from and to an adjacent station - these will be free for at least a year after the Silvertown tunnel opens including the new Superloop bus to and from Canary Wharf The Dartford crossing (on the M25) costs £2.50 per crossing for car drivers. The Ulez is £12.50 a day while the congestion charge is £15 – both for unlimited trips The Silvertown tunnel was built using a PFI (private finance initiative) scheme - about £1bn for the construction of the tunnel and £1.2bn in loan repayments Transport for London needs the income from the toll charges to repay its £2.2bn debt TfL says that if charges were imposed only for one tunnel then no drivers would use it – and all would continue to use the other (free) crossing This would defeat the purpose of building Silvertown congestion and pollution at Blackwall by effectively halving the load (though only about 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles a day are expected to use Silvertown compared with 100,000 a day using Blackwall) Yes. This is crucial. All motorists have to register their vehicle(s) with TfL’s Auto Pay system which is already in use for the congestion charge and Ulez (ultra-low emission zone) TfL already has about 1.3m vehicles registered It means that the toll is automatically charged to the driver’s debit or credit card Drivers who fail to register for Auto Pay will be charged £4 during charging hours Motorcyclists will pay £2.50 at peak times and £1.50 off-peak Transit-size vans will pay the same as cars Large vans will pay £6.50 peak and £2.50 off-peak The charges for both tunnels will be imposed from Spring 2025 when the Silvertown tunnel opens to traffic. The opening date - Monday April 7 - will overlap with the start of the school Easter holidays The tunnel is opening slightly ahead of schedule – the expectation had been that it wouldn’t open until Summer 2025 The entire project – first envisaged in 2012 when Boris Johnson was mayor – is about four years late The Blackwall tunnel is used by about 100,000 vehicles a day It is expected that less than half its traffic will divert to the Silvertown tunnel In an attempt to lure Londoners out of their cars cross-river trips on the 108 or 129 bus – plus the new Superloop SL4 route through the Silvertown tunnel linking Grove Park and Canary Wharf from next year - will be free along their entire routes for at least a year DLR trips 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 Low-income Londoners living in 12 east or south-east London boroughs Londoners on low incomes can apply for the 50 per cent discount if they live in Barking & Dagenham namely those that can take wheelchairs or are “zero emission capable” TfL says about 40 per cent of minicabs will be exempt Sir Sadiq said: “Local residents and business owners currently face chronic congestion and pollution in the area around the Blackwall tunnel the long-planned new Silvertown tunnel will help deliver quicker more reliable journeys in east London by easing congestion and making journeys up to 20 minutes faster.” The likelihood is that the £4 peak toll will increase occasionally with the rate of inflation The southbound Blackwall Tunnel will be closed from September 7-9 to support the opening of the new Silvertown Tunnel The closure is in addition to the planned southbound closure this weekend (August 17-19).  TfL says that this will allow for the final road configuration to be implemented as well as road resurfacing and safety barrier works to be carried out.  director of capital delivery for systems at TfL said: “We are now in the final phase of works to complete the Silvertown Tunnel and these closures will help us to start to get the tunnel ready to open “We appreciate that these planned weekend works will have an impact on some drivers and are doing everything we can to limit potential disruption - including ensuring a northbound route through the Blackwall Tunnel is maintained throughout.” the Blackwall Tunnel will be closed for southbound traffic and drivers will need to take alternative routes Northbound traffic will not be affected by these closures as traffic will be diverted through the southbound Blackwall Tunnel when required The weekend closures will start at 12.01am on the Saturday morning with southbound traffic being restored by 5am on the Monday morning at the latest Further information about the closures can be found at tfl.gov.uk/blackwall-tunnel Drivers are advised to plan their routes in advance checking before they travel so they can consider any other potential traffic impacts or restrictions such as the height and weight limits at Rotherhithe Tunnel and Tower Bridge both of which are outside the Congestion Charge zone Roads and alternative river crossings in east and central London are expected to be extremely busy with traffic around Rotherhithe Tunnel and along the A13 Commercial Road between Canning Town and Whitechapel heavier than normal over the weekends due to the closures people should consider using public transport or walking and cycling via other river crossings to complete their journey as well as vans more than two metres in height or weighing more than two tonnes are advised to consider routes away from central London across the weekends where possible additional variable messaging signs will be placed on the main roads approaching the Blackwall Tunnel TfL has also worked with third party app providers to help ensure drivers who regularly use the Blackwall Tunnel are alerted to the southbound closure and that the closure is shown in any route-planning over the weekend Plans for the Silvertown Tunnel were first developed in 2012 to help address the chronic congestion residents and businesses currently face around the Blackwall Tunnel.  The Victorian-era tunnel suffers from frequent closures - more than 700 times a year – which results in large tailbacks Work on delivering the new Silvertown Tunnel Both of the 1.1km tunnels have been fully tunnelled and safety critical equipment is now being installed The final road surface is being installed within the tunnels and approach roads which will allow for critical testing and assurance work to take place ahead of opening Work is also nearing completion on the new road layout around Tidal Basin Roundabout in Newham TfL has set out new charges for using Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels which are the subject of a consultation.  TfL has proposed both peak and off-peak rates with peak charges applying for four hours northbound in the morning (from 6am to 10am) and three hours southbound in the evening (from 4pm to 7pm) Charges would apply once the new Silvertown Tunnel opens in spring 2025 The suggested standard off-peak rate is £1.50 for cars motorbikes and small vans for vehicles registered for TfL AutoPay Peak charges will be £1 more than standard off-peak charges for motorbikes and an extra £2.50 for cars and small vans Read more about the proposed tunnel charges here.  Gareth has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist having started his career in local newspapers in the 1990s he worked in the public sector as a media advisor and is currently news editor at Fleet News Register to receive our range of digital content By submitting any material to us you are confirming that the material is your own original work or that you have permission from the copyright owner to use the material and to authorise Bauer Consumer Media to use it as described in this paragraph You also promise that you have permission from anyone featured or referred to in the submitted material to it being used by Bauer Consumer Media If Bauer Consumer Media receives a claim from a copyright owner or a person featured in any material you have sent us we will inform that person that you have granted us permission to use the relevant material and you will be responsible for paying any amounts due to the copyright owner or featured person and/or for reimbursing Bauer Consumer Media for any losses it has suffered as a result.