Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnel introduce toll charge for drivers
Drivers using the Blackwall Tunnel and the new Silvertown Tunnel will be required to pay a toll, with car journeys costing up to £4 each way.
This charge is being introduced on the same day the new Silvertown Tunnel opens, which will connect east London to southeast London (near the 02 Arena).
For car drivers, a round-trip during peak hours will cost £8, while large vans will face a charge of up to £13.
The Silvertown Tunnel is designed to ease congestion around the Blackwall Tunnel, with Transport for London (TfL) claiming it will reduce journey times by up to 20 minutes.
TfL explains that the Blackwall Tunnel was not built to handle the current volume of traffic, resulting in more frequent incidents that cause long delays and negatively impact air quality.
In addition to private vehicles, around 21 buses will pass through the new tunnel every hour from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, offering new routes for passengers.
A dedicated shuttle service will also transport cyclists and their bikes across the river. Both tunnels will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week (including bank holiday).
Tolls must be paid by phone or online, with the easiest payment method being Auto Pay, which links payment cards to an account for automatic payments.
Failure to pay the toll will result in a £180 penalty charge, which can be reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.
SALE – up to 40% off.*
•Cheaper than AA Price Promise or we’ll beat by 20%^
• We get to most breakdowns in 60 mins or less
• Our patrols fix 4/5 breakdowns on the spot
*97% of customers achieve max 40% saving on new Standard and Extra cover for 1 person. Ends 17/10/25, 10am. At least 10% of new customers pay this for single-vehicle Standard cover. ^Find the same cover cheaper with the AA within 7 days & we'll beat it by 20%. T&Cs here.
Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnels costs
From April 7th 2025, the prices to travel through the Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnels have been updated.
Here is what you can expect to pay to use the tunnel:
| Vehicle type | Peak charges Mon-Fri: Northbound (6am-10am) / Southbound (4pm-7pm) | Off-peak: All other times between 6am-10pm (inc weekends) | Charges paid via phone, online, or app | No charges apply 10pm-6am |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycles, mopeds and motor tricycles | 2.50 | 1.50 | 2.50 | 0.00 |
| Cars and small vans | 4.00 | 1.50 | 4.00 | 0.00 |
| Large vans | 6.50 | 2.50 | 6.50 | 0.00 |
| HGVs (heavy goods vehicles) | 10.00 | 5.00 | 10.00 | 0.00 |
SALE – up to 40% off.*
•Cheaper than AA Price Promise or we’ll beat by 20%^
• We get to most breakdowns in 60 mins or less
• Our patrols fix 4/5 breakdowns on the spot
*97% of customers achieve max 40% saving on new Standard and Extra cover for 1 person. Ends 17/10/25, 10am. At least 10% of new customers pay this for single-vehicle Standard cover. ^Find the same cover cheaper with the AA within 7 days & we'll beat it by 20%. T&Cs here.
You might also like
Driving from London to Paris
There are many ways to travel between these two great cities. Don’t set off in your car before you’ve read our guide to driving from London to Paris.
Everything you need to know about driving in London
Whether it's your first time driving in London or you haven’t done it for a while and want a refresh, there’s a number of things you'll need to consider.
London Congestion Charge: a simple guide
All you need to know about the London Congestion Charge, including when it applies, how much it costs, penalties for not paying and appealing a fine.
London to Lisbon – your complete driving guide
More than two million Brits visit Portugal every year – many of them visit the city of Lisbon. Here's how to drive there with your car for holiday.
ULEZ expansion to cover whole of Greater London
Popular in News
1
Car buyers to save thousands as EV grant returns
2
Private parking companies issue a record 14.4m tickets to drivers in a single year
3
Drivers fined £1m from just 36 yellow box junctions in 2024
4
Road deaths on the rise in Great Britain
5
Private parking industry urged to publish ‘full and transparent’ complaints and appeals data
6
Drivers now able to search for new home that comes with EV chargers
7
Leicester’s Sean Kimberlin named as RAC Mobile Mechanic of the Year
8
Number of drivers caught using unroadworthy vehicles jumps by 52% in a year
9
Warning to drivers across the UK over fake parking apps
10