The charge for drivers using the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels will increase from September, Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed.From 21 September, peak charges for vehicles travelling northbound from 6am to 10am and southbound between 4pm and 7pm will rise by five per cent.Cars and small vans will now pay £4.20 instead of the current £4 fee.Off-peak charges will also increase by 5p to £1.55, with heavy goods vehicles paying five per cent more (£5.25) during off-peak hours and £10.50 during peak times.Drivers will be charged a penalty of £180, reduced to £90 if paid in the first two weeks, if they fail to pay. According to TfL, the tunnels charges exist to “help manage traffic levels across both tunnels, repay costs for building the new Silvertown Tunnel and go towards maintenance and operation of both tunnels”.Before the Silvertown Tunnel opened in April 2025, the Blackwall Tunnel had been toll-free since 1897.TfL said that congestion has dropped significantly following the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel, with northbound peak journey times approaching the Blackwall Tunnel up to 58 per cent quicker in the morning and 47 per cent in the evening.The report added that nitrogen dioxide concentrations have decreased by 17 per cent compared with the year before the Silvertown Tunnel opened.Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “This analysis shows that the Silvertown Tunnel is proving a success, not only cutting journey times but encouraging more sustainable transport so we can keep cleaning up our air. I’m particularly pleased to see major reductions in congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel benefitting businesses and residents. “The Silvertown Tunnel is already transforming travel across the Thames as we continue building a greener, fairer, better London for everyone.”Read more: UK airports increase drop-off fees by a third – these are the most expensive