Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed a slew of details related to the opening of the new Silvertown Tunnel Cycle Shuttle Service, which is set to begin operation on 7 April.
The new service, which is set to operate every 12 minutes between 6:30 and 21:30, will be free to use for the first year of operation.
Running between Silvertown and North Greenwich, the service, which will utilise Stagecoach electric buses, will come equipped with the capacity to carry a range of standard and non-standard cycles including pedal cycles, tricycles and folded cycles, stopping once on each side of the river at both Seagull Lane on the northern side and Millennium Way on the southern side.
The zero-emission service, which will feature distinctive silver and blue branding in order to be distinguishable from regular buses, will not allow pedestrians to board without a cycle, with TfL instead suggesting travellers make use of the new SLF4 Superloop route also launching alongside the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel.
Lorna Murphy, Director of Buses at TfL, said:We're pleased to share the final details of our innovative cycle-shuttle service, which will provide important cross river connectivity for a range of cyclists through the Silvertown Tunnel.
This free service will help people cycling in east London cross the river safely and encourage more active travel across the area. We have designed this service to support as many different cycle designs as possible within the physical space available, and we look forward to seeing Londoners using it once the Silvertown Tunnel opens on 7 April.
TfL has stated that all cycles carried on the service should be no longer than 2.14 metres, no wider than 0.76m and no taller than 1.4m at the handlebar, with weight restrictions of less than 300kg per cycle, rider & personal property included. The service will also be capable of carrying E-bikes, Santander Cycles and third-party hire bikes and e-bikes.
The shuttle bus will feature two separate bays for cycle storage, with each bay fitting up to four standard cycles. One bay will also prioritise the carrying of non-standard cycles, with folding cycles, luggage and all equipment set to be stored in dedicated luggage racks.
In order to assist with boarding, the bus, which has been designed in compliance with vehicle guidelines from the DVSA, will lower itself to the kerb at each stop, with a ramp able to be deployed to offer step-free boarding.
Paul Lynch, Managing Director of Stagecoach London, said:We've been busy getting the buses and drivers ready for this new service and we're looking forward to welcoming customers with their bikes on board. This new bus service simply means that cyclists can also benefit from the important new transport link under the river, and we're pleased to be entrusted with providing it by TfL.
The Silvertown Tunnel project was first announced in 2012 and links Newham to the Greenwich Peninsula via a 1.4km stretch along the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, allowing TfL to increase the overall number of hourly buses able to cross the river in the area from six to twenty-one.
As part of the development, a user charge is also set to be introduced for those using both the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels between 06:00 and 22:00, seven days a week beginning from 7 April 2025.
Charges begin at an off-peak rate of 1.50 GBP for cars, motorcycles and small vans, with an extra 1 GBP for motorcycles and an extra 2.50 GBP for cars and small vans during peak hours between 06:00 to 10:00 northbound and 16:00 to 19:00 southbound Monday to Friday.
