TfL asks for Londoners' views on new river crossings in Woolwich, Gallions Reach and Belvedere
"Delivering new river crossings to the east is going to be vital to the future success and prosperity of the capital. They have the power to unlock areas for development, creating jobs and new homes, as well as making London a much better connected place"
Boris Johnson
Mayor of London
  • Work on Silvertown Tunnel progresses with detailed design plans underway
  • New river crossings will provide greater connectivity in east London following years of public transport investment

Transport for London (TfL) is asking Londoners to have their say on a number of new river crossings in east London, which will play a vital role in the economic growth and continued development of this part of the capital.

With London's population now forecast to grow to around 10m people by 2030, and a further 1.5m people by 2050, demand to cross the river will increase, putting more pressure on existing, and already congested, river crossings at Blackwall and Woolwich.

Today, fulfilling the commitment in the Mayor's Transport Strategy to deliver a package of river crossings across east London by 2030, TfL has launched the next stage of consultation on detailed proposals for new ferry and bridge options.

The consultation comes as TfL's plans for a new road tunnel in Silvertown gather pace.

The tunnel, which could be complete by 2021, will provide extra capacity and help to alleviate congestion and improve reliability at the Blackwall Tunnel, as well as supporting the growth of the Royal Docks and Greenwich Peninsula.

It has been classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) by Government and Londoners will be asked for their views on detailed design proposals in the Autumn.

In addition, the Department for Transport is progressing plans for a new Lower Thames Crossing, which will provide additional capacity at the Dartford Crossings and is due to be complete by the mid-2020s.  

TfL is now setting out details for a number of new river crossing options to provide significant benefits for people and businesses in east London that could be in place by 2025.

The options include:

  • A new ferry service or bridge at Gallions Reach between Beckton and Thamesmead;
  • A new bridge at Belvedere between Rainham and Belvedere;
  • A new ferry at Woolwich.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said:

'Delivering new river crossings to the east is going to be vital to the future success and prosperity of the capital. They have the power to unlock areas for development, creating jobs and new homes, as well as making London a much better connected place. We've built the Emirates Air Line, which has carried 3.9 million passengers and we're pressing ahead with the Silvertown Tunnel to double the capacity of Blackwall, but we're going to have to do much more if we're to meet the challenges that an ever-growing city presents. From new bridges to ferry services, there's a range of options on the table. We want Londoners to tell us what they think and make their voices heard.'

Michèle Dix, TfL's Managing Director of Planning, said:

'The river forms a barrier between north and south London which people and goods need to cross every day for both social and economic purposes.  TfL has invested a great deal in cross-river public transport capacity, including the extension of the Jubilee line, DLR network, Crossrail, improvements to the East London Line and introduction of the Emirates Air Line. But we recognise that we also need to make effective provisions for road users. This consultation and the upcoming Silvertown Tunnel consultation will further help us to identify the best course of action to achieve this goal.'

The consultation will run for 10 weeks, from 7 July to 12 September 2014.

More information can be found at https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/river-crossings

Local drop-in sessions for people to find out more about the options will be held in Greenwich, Bexley, Barking & Dagenham and Havering, further details and dates of the events are available on the website.

Notes to Editors

  • A map showing the locations for crossings may be found here https://www.flickr.com/photos/tflpress/14408828160/.
  • TfL's most recent consultation, which ran between October 2012 and February 2013, proposed a number of options for river crossings. These included the Silvertown Tunnel, to relieve congestion and improve reliability at Blackwall Tunnel and beyond, as well as options for a new crossing further to the east. A majority of respondents supported the new crossings, and TfL received useful feedback to help develop further proposals. 
  • To find out more about the consultation and to have your say please go to https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/river-crossings
  • More information about the options and how they have been developed is available online at: www.tfl.gov.uk/new-river-crossings