Latest look at Silvertown tunnel after opening date announced
Time now for another regular look at how the area above ground near the Silvertown tunnel is looking after an opening date of 7th April was announced.
An elongated Tidal Basin roundabout is now all but complete alongside new layouts for various roads including one which heads east towards new homes in the north Woolwich direction.
That road parallels the DLR line where a station may one day be built beside more than 5,000 homes. No sign of any action though.
Detailed planning approval for some plots was given four and a half years ago alongside outline approval for the rest.
From up on the cable car the growth in homes to the west around Canning Town is pretty striking.
However the view seen above does obscure numerous empty plots that could accommodate thousands of homes in public transport-friendly developments.
On the ground
Back on terra firma and some views from a passing DLR now though apologies for the grimy pictures. In recent days its been a grey muck-fest not helped by the DLR’s dirty windows. We can only hope new trains will be cleaned a bit more when they finally enter service.
A road sweeping vehicle was forlornly cleaning an empty, yet-to-open road.
Note trees planted and another shot below shows the landscaping now in place.
It’s stark how much more effort has gone into altering the area to the north of the Thames with landscaping compared to the south around Greenwich peninsula which remains grim in the extreme.
As covered recently on a post about the cycle bus, so many Greenwich streets are bleak, unsafe, dirty and flat out crap.
TfL have only spent far more money north of the river on physical street and landscaping changes. Greenwich Council never want to spend a penny of the millions they obtain from new development either. Combine the two and the results are obvious.
Get on a bike? No chance.
The tunnel will open in less than three months on 7 April with tolls for all vehicles with costs depending on whether peak or off peak.
Much attention will be paid to what happens with levels of lorry traffic as some vehicles currently unable to use the Blackwall tunnel will be able to use Silvertown. Another thing to watch is whether people try to avoid tolls and head to crossings such as the Woolwich ferry or Rotherhithe tunnel.
Says it all about urban planning in the UK.
New road tunnel? Opens on time.
New DLR station and thousands of homes? Maybe one day. Give it 20 years.
Again it’s under the city airport flight path. Too risky to build at the moment. Closure of city airport would start 1000s of approved homes being built.
What’s too risky to build Ole? The tunnel is nearly open and many houses and flats have already been built under the flight path. The development beside the tunnel mentioned in the article has already been through the planning process and been approved. The flight path didn’t stop it.