Greenwich (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Parents warned that the Silvertown Tunnel’s opening will harm children’s health, fearing increased lorry traffic and pollution risks in Greenwich.
Starting on April 7, drivers will be allowed to utilise the new road link beneath the Thames in exchange for a toll, which will also be applied to the current Blackwall tunnel.
How will the Silvertown Tunnel impact Greenwich residents?
Transport for London (TfL) has stated that it does not anticipate a rise in the number of lorries using the crossings after the new tunnel opens because heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) will soon be required to pay a high fee of £10 during peak hours.
However, campaigners against Silvertown fear that the new route could bring in lorries that are currently too tall to pass through the Blackwall tunnel in a northerly direction.
Taller vehicles are allowed in the opposite direction, although only HGVs under four meters in height are currently allowed to enter the current tunnel from south of the river.
The Silvertown tunnel can handle these larger vehicles in both ways. Thus, this will change as of April 7.
Victoria Rance, who resides in Greenwich near the A102, said it was a “bonkers” idea to open the new road link during the “climate emergency.”
She said:
“Sadiq Khan goes on about how there’s a new bus lane in the Silvertown tunnel, but it’s actually an HGV lane.
It’s going to attract HGVs. There are many schools in the area that are close to the road, so there’s thousands of children who will potentially have worse air quality.
This will be not just from drivers using the tunnels but also those trying to avoid them because of the toll.
The air pollution is already incredibly high here. The climate emergency is not an abstract thing in the future, it’s happening right now.”
TfL had only committed to monitoring nitrogen oxide (NO2) in the region, not “dangerous” particulates (PM 2.5), according to Karin Tearle, another Greenwich resident who has opposed the Silvertown tunnel.
Fine particles called particulates, which can originate from exhaust fumes, are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and asthma.
She said:
“The Mayor is very concerned about air pollution, but TfL only legally has to look at NO2 levels after Silvertown opens.
We have asked them again and again to also look at PM2.5, but they won’t. They could do a lot better for people here in Greenwich.”
What are the campaigners doing to track the Silvertown Tunnel’s effects?
In order to track the effects of the new tunnel’s inauguration, campaigners have set up their own air pollution sensors at nearby schools like Invicta Primary.
They have proposed that the tunnel be converted into a tramway or made bus-only in the event that the air pollution in the region worsens as they anticipate, and they hope that the tunnel will be closed.
Parents claim that the construction of a sound barrier between the elementary school and the A102 will not reduce air pollution.
Opponents of Silvertown have also cautioned that a future Mayor might eliminate the toll that aims to reduce traffic, which could result in increases in pollution and traffic.
After the Silvertown tunnel opens, TfL has stated that it is dedicated to providing an “overall improvement in air quality” as a result of “reduced traffic delays and congestion.”
Modelling indicates that PM2.5 levels resulting from the system will be “negligible and not significant,” according to TfL.
A spokesperson added:
“We began a comprehensive programme of Silvertown specific NO2 monitoring in 2020 to understand baseline conditions.
This monitoring will continue for a minimum of three years post the tunnel opening so we can monitor operational levels.”