Transport for London expects the project will cost approximately GBP 750M (USD 1.2bn).
The public consultation on the Silvertown Tunnel will run from 15 October until 19 December 2014. Further information about the consultation and the questionnaire can be found at www.tfl.gov.uk/silvertown-tunnel. A report on the findings of the Silvertown Tunnel consultation will be presented to Boris Johnoson, the Mayor of London, in spring 2015 and made publicly available on the consultation website. A further consultation is planned for early summer 2015 ahead of the submission of an application for a Development Consent Order by the end of 2015.
Johnson said, "The Silvertown Tunnel would provide a vital new link beneath the Thames from two of our city’s great opportunity areas for new homes and jobs – Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks. It has quite rightly been classified by the Government as a project of national significance and today we’re a step closer in making our vision a reality.
"Unless new river crossings are provided, the huge growth potential of east London will not be realised, which is why I have asked TfL to also take forward further work on two new river crossings to the east of the Silvertown tunnel at Gallions Reach and Belvedere. These new crossings will be essential not just for east London, but for the capital as a whole and its continued success as the motor of the UK economy."
Michèle Dix, TfL’s Managing Director of Planning, said, "The recent public consultations have been very important, helping us to identify the best solution for new river crossings. It is clear that public support for more river crossings is high. These detailed plans for the Silvertown Tunnel are the next step in delivering a series of crossings that will keep London moving. The consultation is an opportunity to find out more about the design of the tunnel, how it will be used and the benefits and impacts of this new crossing."
Darryl Chamberlain, from the ‘No to Silvertown’ campaign group, said the plans would not benefit locals and could increase air pollution. "This is the traffic equivalent of moving the deckchairs on the Titanic. Transport for London is deluded if it thinks the Silvertown Tunnel will cure congestion. There’s nothing in this for locals – it’ll just encourage Kent car commuters to drive to Canary Wharf."
Subject to securing funding and the necessary approvals, the Silvertown, Gallions Reach and Belvedere crossings could be completed and open by 2025.
