East London has long suffered from a lack of river crossings, creating bottlenecks, congestion, and frustration for residents and businesses alike. In theory, any additional crossing should be welcomed with open arms. The recently opened Silvertown Tunnel had the potential to ease this burden, but under Sadiq Khan's leadership, it has instead created a perfect storm of new problems.
Since the tunnel opened, my inbox has been flooded with messages from frustrated Londoners - a stark contrast to our Mayor who seems increasingly detached from the daily experiences of those he claims to represent. While Khan remains insulated in City Hall, I'm hearing the real stories from people on the ground.
Cab drivers report unprecedented congestion on Tower Bridge, London Bridge, and other free crossings as drivers desperately seek alternatives to avoid the new tolls. Around the O2 Arena, traffic has descended into utter chaos, with journeys that once took minutes now taking close to an hour. These aren't isolated incidents but part of a concerning pattern across East London. In a move that only Sadiq Khan could achieve, he's managed to make a new tunnel resulting in MORE congestion. The promise of improved traffic flow has evaporated as drivers navigate confusing new systems and seek alternative routes to avoid the tolls.
Sadiq Khan’s tunnel toll is a slap in the face for working class Londoners - Susan Hall
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Let's be clear: the concept of using tolls to fund infrastructure that would otherwise remain on the drawing board is sensible. But Khan's decision to toll the Blackwall Tunnel - which has been free for nearly 128 years until this month - represents a slap in the face to East Londoners who depend on this crossing.
This isn't just about money; it's about fairness. For generations, residents have organised their lives, chosen their homes, and built businesses around having access to this free crossing. Now, without adequate consultation or consideration, they're faced with significant new costs for simply going about their daily lives. This Silvertown debacle is merely the latest chapter in Khan's broader assault on London's roads. His proliferation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) has pushed traffic onto arterial routes, while bus speeds have plummeted to record lows of just 8mph in central areas. Instead of addressing these failures, the Mayor simply doubles down on policies that are demonstrably making London's transport network worse.
The solution should have been straightforward: toll the new Silvertown Tunnel to pay for its construction while maintaining the Blackwall Tunnel as a free alternative. However infuriatingly, given the southern approach to the Silvertown Tunnel on the A102 is exactly the same approach as to the Blackwall Tunnel, tolling one and not the other is not feasible. If tried it would lead to any tailbacks from one tunnel blocking access to the other. If Sadiq Khan had recognised this at the time – perhaps by listening to the many people telling him about this flaw in his plan – then the problems East Londoners are now suffering could have been avoided.
Cab drivers report unprecedented congestion on Tower Bridge, London Bridge, and other free crossings as drivers desperately seek alternatives to avoid the new tolls.
Getty Images
So what should he do now? The key is to get traffic moving. To do so he should rip up his failed exemption scheme, which has thus far had fewer than 1000 applications, and replace it with a charging structure similar to that used at the Dartford Crossing. Residents in the six riparian boroughs surrounding the tunnels - Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, Greenwich, Havering, Newham, and Tower Hamlets - should receive substantial discounts.
Furthermore, the Mayor must commit to discontinuing the tolls once the construction costs of the Silvertown Tunnel have been recouped. This should not become an indefinite tax on East Londoners. East London deserves better. Its residents shouldn't be penalised for geographic necessity or treated as cash cows for TfL's coffers. The Mayor has an opportunity to correct course by implementing these fair and reasonable adjustments to the tolling structure and reconsidering his broader approach to London's transport network.
The Londoners who contact me daily don't oppose progress - they simply want equity and consideration for the communities most affected by these changes. It's time for the Mayor to start listening.
