Drivers set to pay 'up to £40 a day' to enter central London, MP warns ahead of Thames crossing charges

13 January 2025, 17:58

The introduction of new tolls in London could see drivers paying up to “£35 to £40 each day” to get to work, an MP has warned.

Last week, Transport for London (TfL) announced a fee would be imposed on the popular Thames crossing in a bid to reduce traffic and recoup construction costs elsewhere in the capital.

It follows the opening of the new SIlvertown road tunnel in east London on April 7, costing cars and small van drivers around £1.50 off-peak and £4 per crossing at peak times.

Those driving larger vans will now be required to pay £6.50 at peak times.

It comes as TfL announced last week that tolls will be introduced at Blackwall tunnel – for the first time in 130 years.

Now, Tory MP Louie French has said that some drivers will have to pay in the region of "£35 or £40 a day" to access London.

Breaking down the figure, she explained that drivers look set to pay the tunnel toll, the £12.50 ultra-low emission zone levy, in addition to the £15 congestion charge if they entered central London in a UL-non-compliant vehicle.

On Monday he called on London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan to scrap the Blackwall tunnel toll, with a petition on the matter garnering 6,500 signatures online .

Mr French insisted the Blackwall tunnel tolls were “likely to impact over 100,000 drivers in the east and south-east of London every single day”.

He also warned of a “congestion nightmare” for drivers looking to avoid the tolls.

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The toll on the Blackwall Tunnel is set to come into force from Monday, April 7 - the same day the Silvertown Tunnel is due to open.

TfL says it comes in a bid to "reduce congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel, deliver faster journeys during peak times, help manage overall air quality and allow for better cross-river public transport."

It comes as thousands of motorists signed a petition amid concern at combined impact of tunnel toll, Ulez levy and congestion charge

The Blackwall Tunnel is currently free to use, but charges will apply for both the Silvertown or Blackwall Tunnels from April 7 between 6am and 10pm.

Transport for London (TfL) said construction work and "rigorous testing" of the Silvertown Tunnel are "sufficiently complete" to enable it to set out a planned date for opening.

The 1.4km (0.9-mile) tunnel will connect Silvertown with Greenwich Peninsula.

It is hoped this will reduce severe congestion at the nearby Blackwall Tunnel.

Car drivers will be charged up to £4 for each journey, with discounts for automatic payments and travelling at off-peak times.