Drivers started to use the new road crossing under the Thames connecting Greenwich and the Royal Docks on April 7.
Transport for London (TfL) levies a toll on the tunnel, and on the nearby Blackwall Tunnel, which was previously free, at peak times.
Transport bosses have claimed that this has reduced congestion around the entrances to the Blackwall Tunnel on either side of the river.
However, the Woolwich Ferry has seen a significant increase in the number of drivers using its free service, suggesting some people are trying to find new routes across the Thames to avoid the tolls.
And David Leonard, 83, who has lived in St Katharine Docks for the last 29 years, has said that traffic has “greatly increased” in his area since the Silvertown Tunnel opened.
He said that he could notice the uptick in congestion “straight away”, believing it is the result of drivers using the Tower Bridge crossing as a cheaper alternative to the tunnels.
“The exit from St Katharine’s Way at its junction with East Smithfield and Tower Bridge Approach Road is now almost permanently blocked during the day and early evening by traffic turning left onto Tower Bridge Approach Road, even at weekends,” he said.
“And when that coincides with a bridge lift, there is total gridlock around the whole Tower Hill gyratory system extending into all the surrounding feeder roads, such as Mansell Street.”
Since the Silvertown Tunnel opened, David said traffic regularly blocks the exit from St Katharine’s Way at its junction with East Smithfield and Tower Bridge Approach Road (Image: David Leonard)
He added this meant it was now harder than ever for people to exit St Katharine’s Way in their cars, and that bus routes, such as the 100, were noticeably slower.
TfL has now admitted that there have been “some increased traffic volumes” at other river crossings since the Silvertown Tunnel opened, but claimed it had not seen more congestion at Tower Bridge.
A spokesperson said: “We continue to use sophisticated traffic signal technology to balance timings in response to real time traffic flows across London, which helps reduce congestion and ensure buses can operate efficiently.
“We will be sharing more detailed analysis with the Silvertown Tunnel Implementation Group later this summer as part of agreed monitoring of the tunnel, as well as continuing to actively monitor traffic along all major roads in London to reduce any congestion when possible.”
They added that bus route 100 has been diverted while works to the London Wall take place, something which “may also be impacting customer perceptions”.
