A Tory MP has launched a petition against Sadiq Khan’s plan to impose a charge on the Blackwall Tunnel.
Louie French, who represents Old Bexley and Sidcup in London, said the toll which is due from 2025 is ” yet another attack on drivers”.
His petition comes after the London Mayor sparked a backlash for expanding the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) to cover the whole of the capital in August.
Mr French said: “The Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s plans to toll Blackwall Tunnel £4 each way is yet another attack on drivers in Greater London after his much-hated ULEZ expansion.
“There are many vehicle crossings in Central and West London that are currently free to cross and not tolled, but Sadiq Khan now wants to charge people for one of the few crossings between East and South East London, despite originally being built over 125 years ago.
“London is now officially the slowest city in the world to drive and Labour’s war on motorists shows no sign of slowing.
“First it was low-traffic neighbourhoods dividing communities, then the regressive and unfair ULEZ expansion to the suburbs, followed by the roll-out of 20mph on main roads and taxing you more for parking a car they don’t approve of, now it’s slamming a charge on one of South East London’s limited crossings, in comparison to West London’s many free vehicle crossings.”
There are an estimated 100,000 journeys through the Blackwall Tunnel every day.
It was built in 1897 and consists of two separate tunnels that travel underneath the River Thames.
The Blackwall Tunnel connects Poplar and the Essex-bound A12 to North Greenwich and the Kent-bound A2 in the south.
Draft road signs by Transport for London suggest both tunnels will be tolled from 6am to 10pm at £3 for motorcyclists, £4 for cars, and £8.50 for other vehicles for each crossing.
The new charge is due to come into force once the Silvertown Tunnel, which will link Silvertown to the Greenwich Peninsula and also have a fee, is completed in 2025.
The London Mayor was contacted for comment.
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