More than 100 health workers sign letter urging Mayor to scrap the Silvertown Tunnel

By Kiro Evans, Local Democracy Reporter

A GP has issued a stark warning children will “needlessly die” if the controversial Silvertown Tunnel project goes ahead.

Campaigners fear the impact of heavy air pollution if the major highway is completed.

More than 100 health workers have co-signed a letter urging London Mayor Sadiq Khan to scrap plans for the tunnel, which is under construction and set to be completed by 2025.

Over a dozen protesters, including medical staff in their scrubs, stood outside City Hall today to hand Mr Khan the letter when he arrived.

Anti-Silvertown campaigners say the road tunnel, which will connect West Silvertown with Greenwich, will increase road traffic, pollute the air and the money should be reallocated to greener transport plans.

Dr Jackie Applebee, a practicising GP for 30 years and chair of doctors for the Unite union, said she fears for children if the tunnel is not stopped.

“The worst that I fear is that we’ve already had one child, Ella Kissi-Debrah, who it said in the coroner’s report died from air pollution. She’s the first one, and they’ll be many more.

“But that’s the tip of the iceberg. There will be more and more and more, and those deaths will increase.

“There will be needless deaths of children and other people who get chronic lung diseases because of the air pollution.

“But there’s also climate change. If we don’t stop building roads, and actually take radical action now to decrease our consumption of fossil fuels this planet will be in a terrible, terrible state and I worry for the future of my children.”

Opposition to the tunnel has grown in recent months, with a Greenwich council sub-committee recommending in December the project is paused.

Last week, the overview and scrutiny committee almost unanimously expressed their disapproval of the project, with Labour councillor John Fahy admitting “we totally screwed up” the handling of the Silvertown Tunnel.

Cllr Fahy previously supported the plan.

Scrutiny chair Chris Lloyd, also Labour, agreed to put forward a motion calling for Transport for London (TfL) to halt the £1 billion scheme.

Deputy Mayor for Transport Seb Dance, who earlier this month met campaigners on the issue, said: “The bold action taken by the mayor, including the expansion of the world’s first ultra low emission zone, is helping to transform the capital’s air.

“But there is a long way to go, with around 4,000 Londoners dying early every year as a result of toxic air pollution. 

“The Silvertown Tunnel will transform the way people can travel in a part of London that currently has few options for getting across the river.

“In addition to providing new zero-emission cross-river bus services, the tunnel will massively reduce the chronic congestion problems currently associated with the inadequate Blackwall Tunnel.

“Both tunnels will be tolled and, when combined with our policy of reducing car use in favour of active and public transport options, the Silvertown tunnel will help reduce congestion and poor air quality around the Blackwall Tunnel without increasing the volume of traffic crossing the river.”

Pictured top: Health workers in their blue scrubs led the anti-Silvertown Tunnel protests in the rain at City Hall this morning (image: Kiro Evans)