From today, managers using the London Blackwall tunnel will have to pay a toll.
The charge is being implemented the same day as the new Silvertown Tunnel -which will connect East London to Southeast London -also open to drivers.
For car drivers, a return journey at Peak Times will cost £ 8, which jumps up to £ 13 for large wagons.
Here is everything you need to know about the new tunnel, the toll and the decision behind its implementation.
What is the Silvertown Tunnel?
The 1.4 km (just under one kilometer) long tunnel extends from Silvertown in Newham, East London, to the Greenwich Peninsula in southeastern London.
It will run along the Victorian-era Blackwall tunnel, which takes drivers near the O2 arena under the Thames river to the East India Dock Road (A13) in Blackwall.
The route of the new Silvertown Tunnel. Photo: Transport for London
The project, which cost £ 2.2bn, was approved by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, after being proposed for the first time in 2012.
It is funded by private finance and transport for London (TFL) will repay £ 100m a year by money made at the toll.
The tunnel boring machine at Royal Docks. Photo: Dad
Why is it built?
Simply put, the Silvertown tunnel aims for the congestion that is currently building up on the approach to the Blackwall tunnel -with TFL claiming it will shave 20 minutes of travel.
The government body says the Blackwall tunnel was never designed to carry the traffic levels it currently does, which led to more frequent incidents that cause the traffic traffic miles away and negatively affects the air quality.
Transport to London says the Blackwall tunnel cannot handle the current amount of congestion. Photo: Dad
As well as private vehicles, about 21 buses will travel through the new tunnel every hour from 07:00 to 19:00 Monday to Friday, which according to TFL will help offer new routes to more people.
A dedicated bicycle bus shuttle service will also transport cyclists and their bikes across the river.
A map showing the bus routes through the Silvertown Tunnel. Photo: Transport for London
How much will it cost and how do you pay?
Costs apply to both the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels. How much it costs depends on what you drive and at what time.
A general view of the new Silvertown tunnel. Photo: Dad
Peakures through the northward tunnel (in the direction of Central London) runs Monday to Friday from 06:00 to 10:00.
For the southward tunnel (away from Central London), the peak hours are from Monday to Friday 16:00 to 19:00.
All the other times are classified as out-of-peak, including weekends.
Look at the table below to see the full distribution of the cost.
Both tunnels are open 24 hours a day seven days a week.
The toll must be paid by phone or online. The TFL website says the easiest way to pay is to use Car paymentenabling people to connect their payment cards to an account that will automatically make payment.
From Monday, locals can use free bus routes across the river for a year. Residents who have certain benefits and live in local districts are also eligible for a 50%discount.
Photo: Dad
Why is it so controversial?
Since the Silvertown Tunnel got the green light, it has been with criticism of opposition parties and campaign groups.
The Liberal Democrats argued against the project from the beginning, claiming that Mr. Khan did not listen to environmental problems.
The tunnel is ready in 2025. Photo: PA
The party says more roads will lead to more people using it and create bottlenecks through areas such as Greenwich, Blackheath and Eltham.
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Rob Blackie, who was the candidate of the Lib Dem of London, previously said: “The way to reduce pollution and climate change is to encourage people to walk, bike and use public transport.
“This project with a billion billion pounds, the Silvertown tunnel, is doing exactly the opposite.”
The campaign group Stop Silvertown Tunnel Coalition also argues that the opening of the tunnel will increase the congestion and emissions and impose a toll on Londoners to compensate the construction costs.
But TFL maintains that the project “will help reduce the congestion at the Blackwall tunnel, deliver faster travel during peak times, help manage overall air quality and allow better public transport of the river”.
