‘Polluting’ Silvertown tunnel is already out of date despite just opening, say campaigners | London

A road tunnel with billions of pounds will be under the Thames River away from the moment it opens, according to the juniors.

The first cars and trucks due through Silvertown Tunnel In East London on Monday, Greenwich passes on the southern side of the river and Newham in the north.

Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, and officials of Transport for London (TFL), claims that the new crossing will provide a transmission batch through the river that affects the need for the capital, which reduces crowding and air pollution.

But the plan faced Widespread opposition Of the local population, politicians, climate scientists and medical experts, who say it will increase traffic pollution and air pollution – which exacerbates public health in some of the most deprived municipalities in the country. They also say it threatens to lock high carbon transportation for future generations.

There is a feeling of anger among people who have caused objections to the project, adding that the tunnel is a solution in the twenty -century of the twenty -first century.

“With urban investments throughout Europe in public transportation or active travel – the real green transport infrastructure – we leave what the seventies technology is effectively … a very polluted road tunnel will be far from the date in which it opens.”

Rans said that the scheme of 2 billion pounds is a lost opportunity that would harm the health of local communities for decades to come unless it is urgently re -imagined.

“We are still calling for the reuse of the tunnel crossing for public transport and bikes and we will continue to present this argument.”

She noted that the other tunnels along the Thames River, which was originally built to transport horse -drawn, such as the Blackwall and BRUNEL ROTHERHITHE tunnel, have been changed to accommodate cars or trains with technology progress.

She said that something similar to Silvertown, as it becomes clear that the transportation by private fossil fuels has been replaced in cities through public transportation that works with electricity, walking and cycling.

However, Khan insisted that the project would prevent travel in the south and the east LondonWith “faster and more reliable trip times … reducing congestion and improving air quality, with enhanced public transport bonds through river buses through emissions.”

He added that there will be discounts and concessions for residents and a track for buses with a dual -saucepan, in addition to a freedom service to spin to encourage more people to turn into green transportation patterns.

However, opponents note that the bus lane will also be open to HGVS and that the tunnel will open a new way for larger trucks that have not been able to use the Blackwall tunnel. The drawings will not apply to trucks or any vehicle after 10 pm.

Caroline Russell, a member of the London Green Party Association, is holding a campaign against the tunnel for years. She said that the opening of today was “a reminder of millions of pounds, was lost in a project that no one has appeared in London, any real enthusiasm.”

Russell said that the London residents need river crossings “that give priority to clean air, safe walking and cycling with public transport at reasonable prices instead of the traffic road tunnel.”

The shuttle service for the tunnel was rejected as “an impractical and semi -baked solution connected to” the road tunnel.

She added: “If expected people to get off their bicycles, wait for up to 12 minutes, then raise their bicycles to the bus is ridiculous, especially when the entire area around the tunnel is dangerous to cycling and full of high -risk intersections.”