More river crossings for all Londoners and improving river transport

London is a rapidly growing city. In particular, London is expanding to the east and south east. Yet there are currently few ways to cross the river in these areas.

We urgently need new river crossings to support housing and business opportunities there.

Where and when will these crossings be built?

These new crossings will help all types of road users – from pedestrians and cyclists to drivers. They include:

• a new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf
• a greener Silvertown Tunnel
• a new extension of the DLR to Thamesmead

Other ideas being looked at are:

• a new riverbus between Canary Wharf and North Greenwich
• a new river crossing from Barking Riverside towards south east London

We believe that all these new crossings, along with the future Elizabeth line, can be finished in the next five to ten years. This will help rebalance the historic lack of river crossings in this part of London.

We will consult on all plans in due course.

A trip along the Thames is a fantastic way to get from A to B. It’s a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy the stunning vistas of our great city, and helps to reduce the squeeze on the buses and trains.

In recent years there has been an increase in both the number and frequency of services. We have also made improvements to the quality and provision of both River Bus and River Tour services. This has led to a sustained increase in passenger numbers with over 10 million annual journeys.