Open letter to Sadiq Khan asks him to cancel proposed Silvertown Tunnel

In an open letter to London Mayor Sadiq Khan a group of campaigners, academics and politicians have requested that he rethink the proposed Silvertown tunnel. 

The controversial £1bn tunnel, which will link Silvertown to Greenwich, has garnered mixed opinions. Transport for London( TfL) have said that they believe the project would reduce congestion in the area around Blackwall Tunnel, while the Stop the Silvertown Tunnel Coalition (SSTC) claim that the project will encourage more traffic and increase pollution in the area. 

it is claimed in the letter that the tunnel would compromise a commitment made to adhere to the Paris agreement in relation to carbon emissions and climate breakdown.

TfL are already facing legal action from Silver Thames Connect over the project, after Riverlinx was named as its preferred bidder to build the tunnel. As a result of this, the project could be delayed for several months, prompting Caroline Pidgeon to tell Air Quality News that a "window of opportunity" is now there for the Mayor to review the project. Funding for the tunnel will be undertaken through the Private Finance Initiative, meaning that the construction and maintenance of the tunnel will be paid for via a toll-charging system.

Image Source: TfL