In a letter to Sadiq Khan today, Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate, Luisa Porritt, has called on the Mayor of London to scrap the Silvertown Tunnel road project.
In her letter she says the scheme “makes a mockery” of his “self-proclaimed green credentials” and notes that Sadiq Khan often complains he is constrained by the Government, but this is a decision he has “complete authority” over.
Porritt claims the project makes no sense environmentally or economically, explaining that no major road project has ever reduced road traffic and highlighting the estimated £2 billion cost of the scheme.
In the letter, Porritt also calls on the Mayor to drive forward proposals for road pricing in the capital, remarking that it is “incredible” that a Tory Chancellor is considering the scheme ahead of the Mayor.
Luisa Porritt’s letter coincides with a public webinar event, hosted by the Stop The Silvertown Tunnel Coalition, where a cross-party panel of politicians, activists and academics all criticised the scheme.
Sadiq Khan was virtually empty chaired, with a zoom user labelled “Not The GLA” having its camera pointed at an empty chair.
Speaking after the event, Luisa Porritt, Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London, said:
“It is clear from today that the pressure is growing on Sadiq Khan. It’s time for him to wake up and understand what the future of this city looks like. The climate emergency requires urgent action. The urgent action we need in London is to stop the Silvertown Tunnel project.
“No major road project has ever reduced road traffic. Pursuing a new motorway under the Thames while public transport projects are getting scrapped on his watch makes a mockery of the Mayor’s self-proclaimed green credentials.
“I believe Londoners want to see our city at the forefront of environmental change. It’s time to scrap the Silvertown Tunnel project and invest in clean, green transport instead.”
