Major UK tunnels used by almost 100,000 drivers a day to see rise in toll charge from September

TWO major tunnels in the UK are set to see an increase in toll charges from September 2026. The change forms part of Transport for London’s (TfL) efforts to help manage traffic flow across the two river crossings. All vehicles will have to pay a little bit more using the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnel Credit: George Cracknell Wright Both the Silvertown tunnel and Blackwall tunnel in London will see charges rise by five per cent from Monday 21 September. Peak charges for cars and small vans travelling northbound between 6am and 10am and southbound between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays will rise by 5 per cent from £4 to £4.20. Off-peak charges will increase by 5p to £1.55. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Large vans will now pay £6.80 at peak times for the crossings between the Greenwich Peninsula and Newham, up from £6.50, and £2.60 at off-peak – a 10p jump. Heavy goods vehicles will also see the 5 per cent increase each way, as off-peak prices increase to £5.25 and £10.50 at peak times. Charges are payable seven days a week for journeys made between 06:00 and 22:00. TFL has previously said it expected to repay around £100m a year through the toll revenue however, for the last financial year it was around £67m. Critics have said that the toll system on the tunnels has simply diverted traffic to other crossings, especially those that remain free to use. Christina Calderato, director of strategy at TfL, has defended the price increase and insisted it will ultimately benefit those who rely on TFL. Most read in Motors She said: “The tunnel user charges are designed to manage traffic demand – which then enables wider objectives like improving the road network’s performance and resilience, encouraging use of public transport and active travel, and supporting economic growth. “Without the tunnel user charge, there would be more traffic and congestion, with negative impacts on air quality and journey times. “A small increase to the tunnel user charges to account for inflation would ensure the user charge remains at the right level to manage traffic demand at the tunnels and achieve the project’s other objectives effectively.” Comment now