Transport for London (TfL) says its first year of monitoring suggests the Silvertown Tunnel has reduced congestion around the Blackwall Tunnel, encouraged more people to travel by bus across the Thames and coincided with improved local air quality. The tunnel, which links Silvertown with the Greenwich Peninsula, was built to provide an alternative to the frequently congested Blackwall Tunnel. According to TfL’s monitoring, northbound morning peak journey times approaching the Blackwall Tunnel are now up to 58% quicker than before the tunnel opened, while evening peak journeys are up to 47% faster. TfL also says the additional crossing has improved the resilience of the road network, with nearly a quarter fewer over-height vehicle incidents disrupting traffic at the Blackwall Tunnel. TfL notes that monitoring stations recorded that annual average concentrations are now well below the UK’s legal limit of 40µg/m³.