Mayor’s climate credibility at stake as he refuses Silvertown rethink

The Mayor of London has insisted: “there is no pause and there is no review” of the Silvertown Road Tunnel, despite a growing outcry from local people against the scheme.

At Mayor’s Question Time today, the Mayor was faced with questions from Green Party member of the London Assembly, Sian Berry AM, based on her recent report showing innovative ideas for alternative uses of the Silvertown Road Tunnel. [1]

But, when questioned by Sian on the Mayor’s lack of engagement with local council leaders, who have also expressed opposition to a road tunnel, the Mayor claimed that opponents were only a “vocal minority.” [2]

Green Party London Assembly member Sian Berry says:

“Continuing with the Silvertown Road Tunnel in its present form is risking the Mayor’s fragile credibility on the climate. Countless residents, councillors and campaigners have made it clear that local people do not want a new tunnel filled with cars and lorries.

“I have been working with local people to look at ideas, based on the situation we are in where tunnelling has begun, using a scale model. And it’s clear there are many ways we could use this space for good, sustainable travel that won’t harm the environment of the surrounding boroughs.

“Now is the ideal time to pause and review this project. Londoners understand this but the Mayor isn’t listening. He must engage with councils and local people and investigate better ways to use this vast new space under the Thames.” [4]

Sian Berry AM published a report, Better ways to use the Silvertown Road Tunnel, in December 2022 after a series of workshops with local people to explore other possible uses of the tunnel, including an extension of the DLR, new tram routes and new crossings for walking and cycling. [1]

Last week at the London Assembly Environment Committee meeting, Leo Murray, the co-founder of climate charity Possible, also cited the Silvertown Tunnel in discussion of the Mayor’s climate credentials: [3]

Leo Murray said: “The harm that that project has done to the Mayor's credibility on the environment, in our view, outweighs whatever kind of functional, practical benefits that that delivering that new tunnel might actually achieve”