Silvertown Tunnel protesters plan to block Blackwall Tunnel approach
Protesters campaigning against the Silvertown Tunnel are planning to block roads leading to the Blackwall Tunnel this Friday.
According to their Facebook page Extinction Rebellion will hold-up traffic on Angerstein roundabout and approaches to the Blackwall Tunnel. The same roads would lead to the Silvertown Tunnel if Mayor Sadiq Khan approves a contract imminently to build the scheme.
Protesters from Extinction Rebellion have previously taken direct action in central London and halted traffic in Lewisham.
After flying under the radar for some time, the tunnel is now rapidly gaining prominance. On the other side of the Thames many are now mobilising against a three-storey lorry park planned in Silvertown.
Greenwich Council remains one of the few that still support the tunnel alongside Mayor Sadiq Khan. They originally did so as part of “a package of crossings” though none of the others, such as a bridge at Thamesmead, are proceeding. A cycle crossing at Rotherhithe to the Isle of Dogs was cancelled last month.
Plans for extra Jubilee Line trains were also scrapped.
At a recent meeting some Greenwich councillors appeared unaware of lorry depot plans.
Some also claimed to be fighting to secure mitigation funding – apparently unaware the authority already secured funds after a year-long discussion with TfL after original numbers were deemed too low. The revised amount is still less than a small housing development brings the authority and work planned is minimal.
Far bigger sums have been brought in through the vast amount of new housing with little spent to encourage walking, cycling and sustainable transport.
Whilst proponents still talk of a new tunnel alleviating northbound queues in the morning peak, there is little word on how another tunnel of traffic will impact on afternoon queues on the Kent-bound A2 through Greenwich, Kidbrooke and Eltham despite the road reaching capacity each afternoon.
That’ll get us all on their side…
Good on ’em.
If people can’t look beyond the end of their nose and 5 mins ahead then little helping them. Nothing ever changed without action – even if in the short term it caused disruption.
How dare those suffragetes stop horse racing!
How dare those people looking for votes marched and block streets!
Rather one day of extra traffic than a lifetime of the area ruined.
If the Belevere and Thamesmead bridges were going ahead and DLR and London Overground built right now to Thamesmead and Abbey Wood maybe this tunnel could work. But nothing else is anywhere near being built.
I bet that most of the people that are protesting drive a car. This tunnel is much needed for the area and the same with the Lower Thames Crossing. They will anger people and won’t get any sympathy from the drivers. They are just going to create even more congestion and even more fumes. What is the point? They will not stop what is already in the masters plan.
More traffic and queues are what’s needed? Have you looked at the predictions at all? Things get worse in South east London.
If a crossing was in Woolwich, Thamesmead or Belvedere (or better yet a couple of those places) it would work much better. Sticking it all on the same approach roads as Blackwall which are chocker is mental.
I shouldn’t be surprised how idiotic some arguments are but really. Protests create more fumes? Better a few days than a lifetime. Are people really incapable of viewing long term?
What’s the point you ask? Why ever fight for anything? As for annoying drivers so be it. More people don’t drive than do in the area.