Anti-Silvertown Tunnel activists accuse Sadiq Khan of “ignoring his contribution” to air pollution

By Joe Talora, Local Democracy Reporter

Sadiq Khan has been accused of “blatantly ignoring his own contribution” to worsening air quality in parts of London by environmental campaigners.

It comes following new analysis from City Hall that revealed 98 per cent of schools in London are in areas that exceed World Health Organisation limits for PM2.5 pollution, which is made up of microscopic particles that come from vehicle tyres, brakes and fuel emissions.

Following the publication of the figures, the Mayor of London said that he was doing “everything in (his) power” to prevent young Londoners breathing toxic air, including expanding the Ultra-Low Emission Zone to the north and south circular roads in October.

But activists have said that Mr Khan’s decision to push ahead with a £2 billion road tunnel under the River Thames “poses a threat to air quality throughout the area”.

The Silvertown Tunnel, which will link Greenwich to Newham, has come under intense scrutiny from local campaigners, climate activists and politicians.

A spokesperson for the Stop the Silvertown Tunnel Coalition said: “Although Mayor Khan expresses deep concern about the health of London’s school children, he is blatantly ignoring his contribution to worsening the conditions and air quality for children in Greenwich and Newham.

“There are several schools adjacent to the tunnel construction sites both sides of the river that will bear the brunt of air pollution from the 1000 plus construction truck movements a week that, by this September, will be close passing the children as they walk to school or play in the playgrounds of their schools.”

Campaigners say they have recorded up to 200 HGVs an hour passing close to St Mary Magdalene school in Greenwich.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “Anyone who has been caught in traffic due to a problem in the Victorian-era Blackwall Tunnel will know that there is an urgent need for another river crossing in this part of London. The tunnel is closed an average of 600 times a year with a five-minute closure leading to a three-mile tailback of cars, vans and buses with idling engines emitting toxic pollutants into London’s air and causing congestion further afield.

“Extensive modelling shows that the introduction of tolls on both tunnels at Silvertown and Blackwall will mean no overall increase in traffic and an overall improvement in air quality. The extension of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone from this October – covering the Silvertown area – will play a crucial role in tackling congestion and improving air quality.”

The decision to impose tolls on the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels will likely lie with the next Mayor of London, however, with the Silvertown Tunnel not set to be completed until at least 2025.

Modelling for the project conducted in 2014 shows that, without tolls, there could be “large increases” in traffic flows on the approach roads to both tunnels, though the modelling did not account for any mitigations or traffic calming measures.

A 2019 study from the British Heart Foundation found that Newham had the highest levels of PM2.5 pollution in the UK, with residents breathing air that is the equivalent to smoking 159 cigarettes a year.

Sadiq Khan’s spokesperson said that the mayor is “taking some of the boldest action of any city in the world” to tackle air pollution, including the ULEZ expansion.

Mr Khan has said he wants to “work with Government” to ensure London meets WHO limits for particulate matter pollution and has called on ministers to make the limits legally binding, with a target of meeting them by 2030.