It’s been confirmed car drivers will pay £4 during peak hours to use the new Silvertown tunnel and existing Blackwall tunnel crossings when the new crossing opens in the spring.

The Greenwich Wire website reports Transport for London’s board signed off the charges at a meeting at City Hall, with the tolls being broadly the same as ones suggested in the summer although with an amendment to keep charges for electric vans down.

Car and small van drivers will pay £1.50 at off-peak times, and £4 during peak hours – applying northbound between 6am and 10am and southbound between 4pm and 7pm.

TfL has said the tolls are needed to pay off the cost of the £2 billion crossing, which is being built and will be operated by a private company, Riverlinx. It also says the charges are needed to stop the tunnels – and neighbouring areas such as Greenwich, Poplar and Canning Town – being swamped with drivers.

(Picture – TfL)