First new road crossing east of Tower Bridge since 1991 opens on Monday

Silvertown Tunnel connects Silvertown with Greenwich Peninsula, running under the River Thames.

Transcript

00:00So, a milestone for infrastructure in London. Monday marks the first opening of a river

00:06crossing east of Tower Bridge in 33 years. However, the opening of the Silversound Tunnel

00:13has not come without controversy. Climate activists have expressed concern about the

00:20impact on traffic and air pollution. But perhaps more immediate concerns for the average Londoner,

00:29however, particularly those living in the east of the city, are tolls. What does the opening

00:36of this tunnel actually mean for Londoners? Well, the Silvertown Tunnel connects Silvertown

00:43with the Greenwich Peninsula, running under the River Thames. Car drivers are charged up to £4

00:51per journey, with discounts for automatic payments and travelling at off-peak times.

00:59The adjacent Blackwall Tunnel has also begun charging users for the first time in its 128-year

01:07history. It is worth noting that a number of types of vehicles and road users are to be exempt

01:15from the charges, such as buses, coaches, black taxis, blue badge holders registered in the

01:21capital, and zero-emission capable private hire vehicles. New bus routes are also now serving the

01:29Silvertown Tunnel, which are expected to be free for at least the first year. There is also a bus

01:35shuttle service for cyclists. This will run for at least three years, and again is expected to

01:42be free for at least one year.