TfL has shared the first insights about the impact on traffic of the new Silvertown Tunnel, as part of commissioner Andy Lord’s latest report to the TfL Board.
Analysis of data between 21 April and 11 May shows the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels are being used by an average of about 88,000 vehicles on a typical weekday. Of these, about 20,000 are using the Silvertown Tunnel.
Before the tunnel opened on 7 April, about 100,000 vehicles used the Blackwall Tunnel on weekdays. TfL said this fall in traffic had helped to ease congestion, reports the BBC. However, it said it was aware of some increased traffic volumes at other river crossings, including the Woolwich Ferry.
The £2.2bn Silvertown Tunnel stretches almost a mile (1.4km) under the River Thames from Greenwich to Newham.
Motorists using the tunnel – the first new road crossing of the Thames east of Tower Bridge in more than three decades – must pay a toll to use it, as is also now the case for those using the nearby Blackwall Tunnel.
the report also provided ridership data about the three bus services that operate through both tunnels: the new Superloop SL4, the extended route 129 and the 108, which already ran through the Blackwall Tunnel before 7 April.
Across the routes there is a daily average of more than 20,000 passengers making use of these services, of which typically about 7,000 are crossing the river using one of the two tunnels. In March 2025, there were about 2,700 crossings a day made using route 108.
Across the wider road network, the report said initial analysis showed stability in overall traffic volumes, including on the A2, A12 and A13.
Seb Dance, deputy mayor for transport, said: “It’s encouraging that initial data from TfL shows that the new Silvertown Tunnel is helping to reduce the build-up of traffic around the Blackwall Tunnel.
“This means more reliable and faster journey times for thousands of Londoners during peak hours.”
It’s not all good news though, as TfL admitted that the toll has increased strain on the Woolwich Ferry, where the service is now carrying 1800 more vehicles a day than before the Silvertown tunnel opened.
(Pic: Tfl)
