The new Silvertown Tunnel under the Thames is now open for use, with tolls of up to £6.50 for van car drivers and charges replicated at the neighbouring Blackwall Tunnel.

The Silvertown Tunnel will deliver expected journey time savings of up to 20 minutes at peak times

The controversial new tunnel links Newham to the Greenwich Peninsula and will improve journey times and enhance public transport links, according to Transport for London (TfL).

First announced in 2012, the tunnel will deliver expected journey time savings of up to 20 minutes at peak times, although campaigners argue that it will increase pollution and congestion.

Tolls are required as part of the development consent for the new tunnel and will repay building costs while also covering ongoing maintenance and operation costs at both tunnels.

TfL also said the tolls would help manage traffic levels and are replicated for the Blackwall tunnel to ensure traffic doesn’t divert there.

The levy will apply from 06.00 to 22.00, seven days a week. At peak times (from 06.00 to 10.00 and 16.00 to 19.00 Monday to Friday), cars and small vans will pay a £4 charge, falling to £1.50 outside of these hours when paying via AutoPay.

Fees for large vans are set at £6.50 peak and £2.50 off-peak, while HGVs are charged at £10 peak and £5 off-peak, and motorbikes are £2.50 and £1.50 respectively. To qualify for the off-peak rates, motorists must use AutoPay. More than 2.7 million vehicles are now signed up for the scheme.

Concessions for residents and businesses include 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, Newham and Greenwich. There’s also a 50% discount for low-income residents in 12 east and south east London boroughs and the City of London.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “The new Silvertown Tunnel will transform travel in the South and East of our city, particularly across the River Thames, and will help to address the chronic congestion and poor air quality around Blackwall Tunnel. The new tunnel will reduce journey times, help to manage pollution levels and improve cross-river public transport.”

Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner, commented: “The new Silvertown Tunnel is vital to supporting growth in east and south east London and boosting cross-river bus services and I want to thank all the engineers, construction workers, designers and others who have worked so hard over the years to deliver this project successfully on time and on budget.”

With the Silvertown Tunnel now open, the land previously used for its construction will be returned to the Greater London Authority and Silvertown Homes for work to begin on Thameside West – a riverfront development set to deliver 5,000 new homes, strategic industrial land and a new DLR station.

Chris Yarsley, Logistics UK’s senior policy manager – road freight regulation, said the new tunnel would increase network resilience and make journey times more predictable, but warned that the high toll charges penalise essential delivery vehicles.

“The new tunnel at Silvertown will provide greater resilience for the capital’s road network and make journey times more predictable, but it is disappointing that the tolls for large vans and HGVs are significantly higher than those for small vans and private cars.

“Industry recognises that road charges are necessary to fund new infrastructure, but larger vehicles do not have the options to switch to other modes of transport and essential delivery vehicles have little alternative option but to use the capital’s road network.

“Industry ends up paying disproportionately more towards construction costs than private road users, and TfL should introduce a flat rate of tolls for fleet operators while offering discounts for zero-emission vehicles, which would be more in line with the current London Congestion Charge scheme.”