The Anonymous Widower

Is The Silvertown Tunnel A Silver Elephant?

I have been through the Silvertown Tunnel several times now and every time the bus has never really slowed for lots of traffic.

I went through this morning on Easter Sunday and these pictures show all the other traffic I saw.

Note.

1. I was sitting in the front passenger seat of a 129 bus, which is on the left of the bus.
2. We were going from South to North through the Silvertown Tunnel.
3. I could read the driver’s speedometer and it showed within a mile per hour of thirty all the way.
4. We were passed by only one car in the tunnel.
5. There were about a dozen passengers on the lower deck of the bus.
6. I didn’t check how many were on the top deck of the bus.

Even on an Easter Sunday, I would have thought the service would have been busier.

Is The Silvertown Tunnel A Silver Elephant?

There are two answera to this question.

• Yes – A lot of money has been spent for just a few cars and bus passengers to have an easy ride through the tunnel.
• No – As traffic is flowing freely through the tunnel, it shows the tunnel is doing its job and freeing up traffic in East London.

But whatever view you take, a lot of money has been spent for a small number of vehicles and passengers to pass through the tunnel.

I also suspect very little extra revenue is being generated.

The Jubilee Line Was Busy

The complete route I took this morning was as follows.

• Home To Angel – 38 bus – Not very busy.
• Angel to London Bridge – Northern Line – Not very busy.
• London Bridge to North Greenwich – Jubilee Line – All seats taken.
• North Greenwich to West Silvertown – 129 bus – Not very busy.
• West Silvertown to Canning Town – Docklands Light Railway – Not very busy.
• Canning Town to Canada Water – Jubilee Line – All seats taken.
• Canada Water to Dalston Junction – Overground – Not very busy.
• Dalston Junction to Home – 30 bus – Not very busy.

Note.

1. Only the sections on the Jubilee Line were really busy, with all seats taken.
2. London Bridge, Stratford and Waterloo stations on the Jubilee Line are also busy National Rail stations.
3. London Bridge, Canada Water, North Greenwich, Canning Town and Stratford all have large modern well-designed bus stations within easy walking distance of the Jubilee Line.
4. Given, that there is now a charge to cross the river, have a lot of people decided to take the Jubilee Line rather than their car to go to the O2 at North Greenwich and the Olympic Park and Eastfield at Stratford?

I strongly feel, that more capacity is needed on the Jubilee Line, as no matter what time I use it, I never seem to get a seat.

Taking The Dover Road

This Google Map shows how the A2 ( the Dover Road) links up with the Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnels.

Note.

1. The O2 in the North-West corner of the map, with North Greenwich station in red under it.
2. The Blackwall Tunnel crosses the river to the North-West of the O2.
3. The Silvertown Tunnel crosses the river to the East of the O2.
4. Running diagonally across the map is the Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach, which also serves the Silvertown Tunnel.
5. The station to the West of the Southern Approach is Westcombe Park station.
6. Click the map to show it to a larger scale.

This second Google Map shows the O2, North Greenwich station and the approaches to both tunnels.

Note.

1. The half-moon-shaped building is North Greenwich station.
2. The tunnel approaches are rather complicated, but seem to be working well.
3. There is lots of car parking.
4. The Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach leaves the tunnles in a Southerly direction.
5. Click the map to show it to a larger scale.

This third Google Map shows how the A2 (Dover Road) and A20 (Folkestone Road) link up to the Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach.

Note.

1. The station in the North-West corner of the map is Westcombe Park.
2. The road running diagonally South-East from the corner is the Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach.
3. The Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach then turns East to join with the A2 (Dover Road).
4. The Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach also links up with the A20 (Folkestone Road) , which is the other road running diagonally at the bottom of the map.

In some ways, I am rather surprised at how little traffic is passing through the tunnels given this double dual-carriageway/motorway connection to East Kent, the Channel Tunnel and the Continent. It also has a double connection at both the A2 and A20 to join the M25.

Perhaps, it does mean that the charges are frightening drivers away.

The Roads To The North

This Google Map shows the main approach road to the Blackwall Tunnel.

Note.

1. The O2 and North Greenwich station in the South-East corner of the map.
2. The Blackwall Tunnel crosses the river to the North-West of the O2.
3. The A12 dual-carriageway runs North up the Lea Valley through Hackney.
4. There is a dual-carriageway/motorway box formed by the M11 in the West, A12 in the East, M 25 in the North and A 406 in the South to speed traffic on its way, including to the two main routes to the North; the M1 and the A1.

I have lived for thirty years of my life in North London, and I feel, that although the roads to the North of London could be improved, I don’t suspect they are the reason drivers are not using the Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnels.

I would suspect that drivers don’t like or trust the charging system, or could it be that the public transport system in London and especially the East of London is too good?

But we do need to increase the capacity of the Jubilee Line either directly or would a high-capacity bus-route shadowing the line, be able to add the extra capacity needed?

April 20, 2025 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Blackwall Tunnel, Canada Water Station, Canary Wharf Station, Canning Town Station, Channel Tunnel, Docklands Light Railway, Eastfield, Jubilee Line, London Bridge Station, London Bus 108, London Bus 129, London Bus 30, London Bus 38, London Overground, London Underground, M2 Motorway, M20 Motorway, M25, North Greenwich Station, Northern Line, O2 Arena, Silvertown Tunnel, Stratford International Station, Tunnels, Westcombe Park Station | 1 Comment