Skip to main content

New river crossings vital for east London

With the capital’s population forecast to grow to 10 million people by 2030, and with much of this growth due to take place in east London, demand for crossing the river will increase. Unless new river crossings are provided in east London, the overall growth of this part of London will be affected and its economic potential will not be fully realised. The Silvertown tunnel is a key part of the plans and is now progressing to the next stage with a consultation that starts on 15 October on detailed propos
October 14, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
With the capital’s population forecast to grow to 10 million people by 2030, and with much of this growth due to take place in east London, demand for crossing the river will increase. Unless new river crossings are provided in east London, the overall growth of this part of London will be affected and its economic potential will not be fully realised.

The Silvertown tunnel is a key part of the plans and is now progressing to the next stage with a consultation that starts on 15 October on detailed proposals. By delivering a new road link beneath the Thames, Silvertown tunnel would connect the Greenwich Peninsula with the Royal Docks – two of the Mayor’s key Opportunity Areas for thousands of new homes and jobs.

This consultation represents an important step forward for the Silvertown plans, with an application to Government for approval to build the tunnel planned for December 2015. In recognition of its significance for the future development of London, this project has been designated a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) by Government. If approved, construction could start in 2017 and take four years to complete at an estimated cost of around US$1.2 trillion.

The Mayor and 1466 Transport for London (TfL) are also planning for new road crossings to the east of Silvertown, which have been the subject of a recent consultation. Initial findings from this consultation suggest strong public support to develop plans for crossings at both Gallions Reach and Belvedere.

The Mayor of London, Boris 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.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Driven demos AVs operating ‘safely’ in London
    October 7, 2019
    The Driven Consortium has completed a week-long demonstration which it says shows that autonomous vehicles (AVs) can operate safely in London - with a safety driver. Driven - a £13.6 million initiative supported by the UK government - carried out the demo around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford in the east of the city. Driven has focused on completing fully-autonomous routes within the UK capital and the city of Oxford using Oxbotica’s autonomous software. Consortium members Moninet and Axa XL p
  • UITP, ITF welcome UN plan to advance sustainable transport
    November 1, 2016
    Both the UITP and the International Transport Forum (ITF) have welcomed the United Nations High-Level Advisory Group report which recommends that greener, more efficient and sustainable transport can save trillions and help achieve the sustainable development goals. According to the report, Mobilizing Sustainable Transport for Development, greater investment in greener, more sustainable transport systems is essential for propelling the economic and social development that is vital to achieving the Sustai
  • NEC to work with Royal Borough of Greenwich for smart city solutions
    October 23, 2015
    NEC Corporation has announced today that NEC Europe has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Royal Borough of Greenwich in London to collaborate on the use of big data analytics and visualisation to improve public and commercial services for local residents, as part of the newly-announced Greenwich Smart City Strategy. Digital Greenwich, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, promotes the development of the digital economy in the borough. This includes developing inn
  • US business leaders discuss concerns over transportation funding
    July 11, 2014
    US business leaders briefed Vice President Joe Biden and US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx yesterday on business issues associated with transportation infrastructure during a meeting hosted by the White House Business Council and Business Forward. Meeting participants included executives from large manufacturers, shipping companies, trade associations, and a range of other businesses, including Doug Oberhelman, chairman and CEO, Caterpillar, and Matt Rose, executive chairman, Burlington Northern S