All vehicles working or delivering to the construction sites meet Euro VI standard and Riverlinx have adopted a Stage IV or better policy for Non-Road-Mobile Machinery (NRMM) across the project, including using innovative hybrid technology. This means that they meet or exceed the requirements of the GLA's NRMM Low Emission Zone. All construction vehicles will also comply with the latest safety standards in support of our Vision Zero ambitions.
Once the Silvertown Tunnel is open, the total number of buses running through both Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnels will increase, with TfL committed to running at least 20 zero-emission buses per hour through the tunnels at peak times. TfL expects the overall provision of buses through the area could further increase to 37 buses per hour over time as new developments, including at the Royal Docks and Greenwich Peninsula, are completed during the next decade.
User charging at the Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnels, which will commence once the Silvertown Tunnel is complete, alongside the new zero-emission bus network, will help to manage traffic levels and encourage people to switch their journeys to public transport where possible. No user charges have been finalised yet and any times and costs within the submission are indicative to allow for approval to be obtained. The final charges will be announced ahead of the Silvertown Tunnel opening in 2025 once further modelling, including assessments on concessions, are complete.
TfL is legally committed to delivering a wide range of improvements and measures to reduce the impact of the new tunnel and support the wider local area. These include:
£1m worth of support for local businesses to help them adapt to the user charge when the Silvertown Tunnel is operational. This could include helping businesses with staff travel planning or funding potential infrastructure such as cycle racks and electric vehicle charging points
A user-charging discount to specifically help low-income residents in the host boroughs of Greenwich, Newham and Tower Hamlets. This could look similar to the existing TfL Bus & Tram Travelcard which offers a 50 per cent discount on public transport for those who receive certain state benefits.
£2m in bus concessions for local residents to help promote the new cross-river bus services which will run through the tunnel, as well as supporting them to move away from unnecessary private car use. TfL will also enhance river crossing facilities for cyclists and pedestrians across the local area
Both the tunnel and the surrounding area also fall within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and since December 2020, TfL has undertaken a comprehensive programme of air quality monitoring to ensure the impacts of the Silvertown Tunnel are fully understood, and to support the delivery of the overall air quality improvement expected as a result of the scheme. 38 diffusion tubes and three continuous monitoring stations recording nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels have been installed across five boroughs, and TfL has also installed a continuous PM2.5 monitor in Newham, to complement existing local authority monitoring within Greenwich and Tower Hamlets.
Data collected from the continuous monitoring stations is available on the London Air Quality Network (https://www.londonair.org.uk/) and support wider AQ initiatives across the capital. Air quality updates are also provided via the Silvertown Tunnel Implementation Group, with TfL's first report on air quality monitoring being published shortly.