Thousands of drivers who failed to pay the new Silvertown and Blackwall tunnel tolls have been allowed to avoid paying a £180 fine, The Standard can reveal.
Transport for London quietly implemented a “grace period” – believed to have been for about a month – after the opening of the £2.2bn Silvertown tunnel on April 7.
One motorist who used the Silvertown tunnel for the first time on Saturday May 4 later received a letter from TfL warning him that he had failed to pay – but saying he would not be fined on this occasion, The Standard was told.
Drivers were not told in advance that they would not be fined if they failed to pay tolls of up to £4 per crossing.
A TfL spokesperson said: “As was the case during the roll-out of previous charging schemes, we used our discretion following the introduction of user charges at Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels to issue enforcement letters rather than Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs).
“These letters reminded non-paying drivers that charges had been introduced, and of the need to pay the charge in future if they continue to cross the river using the tunnels.”
In addition to the Silvertown toll, Charges were also introduced at the Blackwall tunnel from April 7 – the first tolls to use the crossing under the Thames in more than 120 years.
About 88,000 drivers a day have used the two crossings since April 7, TfL revealed last week – about 12 per cent down on previous traffic levels.
TfL has previously used grace periods for the various expansions of the Ulez ultra-low emission zone.
This has the effect of creating a “soft launch” of controversial schemes and ensures that drivers who accidentally forget to pay – rather than those who go on to become serial evaders – are given a second chance to comply with the new rules.
The Silvertown and Blackwall tunnel tolls are £1.50 during charging hours, and £4 at peak times – though the off-peak rate is only available for those who have registered their vehicles and bank details in advance with TfL’s AutoPay system.
Peak hours operate on weekdays between 6am and 10am for northbound traffic, and from 4pm to 7pm southbound, for both tunnels.
Journeys between 10pm and 6am are free.
TfL said that about 90 per cent of drivers either paid to use the tunnels or were exempt from charges or paid a discounted charge.
Penalty tickets that are paid within 14 days cost a reduced rate of £90. Only one ticket a day is issued per vehicle, even if drivers make multiple trips without paying.
TfL confirmed last week that penalty charges were now being issued.
The TfL spokesman said the warning letters “also reminded drivers of the extensive discount and exemptions available and pointed them to our Auto Pay system, which is the easiest way to ensure they are not caught out unnecessarily and also means drivers can access lower off-peak charges. PCNs are now being issued”.
The new tolls have also resulted in an additional 1,800 vehicles a day diverting onto the Woolwich ferry, which is free to use.
But the two ferries that operate the 10-minute sailing across the river are said to be “coping” with the extra demand, though queues have been reported at peak times.
TfL commissioner Andy Lord told the TfL board on Wednesday that the opening of the Silvertown tunnel – which links North Greenwich with Canning Town and the Royal Docks – had been a “major step forward” in improving journey times and reducing delays in this part of London.
Mr Lord said demand for the Woolwich ferry had “stabilised” after attracting an increased number of motorists seeking to avoid paying to cross the river.
He said: “We did see some increase in traffic volumes at the Woolwich ferry, but that has stabilised.
“We are no seeing any significant delays as a result of that.”
However he admitted that the ferries had temporarily suffered some “challenges” in the last fortnight due to technical problems.
About 20,000 journeys a day are made through the Silvertown tunnel – below estimates – and about 68,000 through the Blackwall tunnel.
Prior to April 7, about 90,000 to 100,000 trips a day were made through the Blackwall tunnel.
