Calls for London to scrap new road tunnel as city looks to reduce car activity

London’s mayor is facing renewed calls to scrap plans for a new road tunnel under the Thames as part of the drive to cut car journeys.

Friends of the Earth called for Sadiq Khan to “go a step further” than a proposed shake up of charges for motorists in the capital and call an end to the project.

A new tunnel is being built in east London linking Silvertown, a district near London City Airport, to the Greenwich Peninsula on the other side of the river.

Transport for London says the Silvertown Tunnel - which is scheduled to open in 2025 - will help to reduce traffic at the nearby Blackwall Tunnel and support better public transport links, including bus journeys across the Thames.

The mayor is yet again facing calls to scrap the project over pollution fears, after announcing his intention to slash car journeys and transport emissions in the capital.

Jenny Bates from Friends of the Earth told The Independent Mr Khan had shown “a willingness” to take the “linked crises” of public health and the climate seriously.

“He can go a step further by scrapping the Silvertown Road Tunnel project in east London, which would worsen air pollution for some local residents if built,” the transport and clean air campaigner said.

Construction started in 2020. Transport for London is currently building a decked car park and preparing the launch chamber for the tunnel boring machine - which is set to start digging the tunnel in late spring.

On Tuesday, Mr Khan said London could revamp its road charging system to encourage people to ditch cars as the capital looks to reach net zero emissions by the end of the decade.

The mayor said he was considering replacing congestion charge with new scheme where drivers pay per mile and face different rates based on a number of factors - including how polluting their car is.

He was also looking at other new charges which could be introduced in the shorter term, including a fee for cars from outside London coming into the city.

London’s mayor said it would only be possible to reach its goal of net zero emissions by the end of the decade by slashing transport emissions.

Last summer, a regional Labour conference passed a motion urging him to drop plans for the construction of the Silvertown Tunnel over fears it could make pollution and congestion worse.

Earlier in the year, experts warned it would end up encouraging more people to drive.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “Anyone who has been caught in traffic due to a problem in the Victorian-era Blackwall Tunnel will know that there is an urgent need for another river crossing in this part of London.”

They said the tunnel is frequently shut, with a five-minute closure leading to a line of vehicles with “idling engines emitting toxic pollutants”.

The spokesperson said extensive modelling shows tolls on both the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels will not increase traffic, improve air quality and lead to better public transport links.