Reimagining the Silvertown Tunnel: A Case for Tram Integration

Map of the Silvertown Tunnel
Image - Transport for London (TfL)

This article follows up on my previous suggestion to explore the conversion of bus lanes and priority measures for tram use. It's important to remember that bus lanes and priority schemes aren't solely for buses; they also play a crucial role in enabling emergency services to improve their response times and potentially save lives by avoiding heavy traffic congestion.

Greater Manchester Launches Final Phase of Bus Franchising, West Midlands Launch Consultation on Bus Franchising, and Silvertown Tunnel to Open on 7 April 2025

Volvo BZL Double-Deck For The Bee Network - Photo by TfGM

Firstly, Happy New Year 2025 to my readers! I hope we will progress positively in this new chapter.

On 5th January, Greater Manchester finally launched the final phase of bus franchising, which means that control of bus services has been fully regained by the transport authority, Transport for Greater Manchester, as part of the Bee Network brand.

London Bus Tender Awards: New Routemasters To Continue On Route 390 — New Double-Deck Electric Buses For Superloop Routes SL5 And SL7

TfL Image - CGI of shuttle bus service

As we are approaching the end of September 2024, Transport for London (TfL) has announced that the three-door, two-staircase New Routemasters will continue on route 390 while the Superloop routes SL5 and SL7 will soon convert to double-deck electric buses.

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

Route 37 (24hr)
Retained By: Go-Ahead London Central
Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR): 19
Vehicles: Existing hybrid double deck
Contract Start Date: 31st May 2025
Contract End Date: 2nd June 2028

London Bus Tender Awards: Go-Ahead London Wins Silvertown Tunnel Routes 129 And Superloop Route SL4 With New Electric Buses

Here's the second London Bus tender Awards of this week, and it has revealed that routes 129 and Superloop route SL4 (formerly X239) have been awarded to Go-Ahead London with new double-deck electric buses.

From Go-Ahead London on Twitter/X

We have been awarded two electric bus contracts by Transport for London (TfL), as follows:

TfL gets the go ahead to construct Silvertown Tunnel!

TfL has been given the green light to construct the new Silvertown Tunnel which will enable more bus routes and also reduce congestion through the Blackwall Tunnel.

From TfL Press Release

Transport for London (TfL) has today been granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) by the Department for Transport (DfT) to deliver the Silvertown Tunnel - a new twin-bore road tunnel under the Thames in east London.