Transport for London has announced that two bus routes will make use of the Silvertown Tunnel, including a new express service to Canary Wharf.

The X239, a new “fast service” that will start at Grove Park in Lewisham.

Buses will use the A102 before turning onto the Silvertown Tunnel and will be non-stop from the Sun in the Sands pub in Blackheath to Canary Wharf.

There will also be an extension to the existing 129 route, which will run to Great Eastern Quays in Beckton, Newham.

The northern end of the route currently ends at North Greenwich station, while the southern end will continue to terminate at Molesworth Street in Lewisham.

Rob Varney, head of public affairs for TfL, said at the meeting: “One of the commitments as part of the delivery of the Silvertown Tunnel is the implementation of a 20 bus per hour network running both through Blackwall and Silvertown.

"This is an initial proposal that we will start to consult on from November 16, and brings two new routes to the lines in addition to the currently running 108.”

Journalist Darryl Chamberlain asked at the meeting why the number of buses an hour using the tunnel had dropped to 20 from 37 and a half, which he said was initially included in TfL plans.

Mr Chamberlain said: “That bus network included five bus routes, we’re now presented with three.

"A couple were just going south of the river, so they don’t really concern us. But the one that’s been dropped is a bus from Eltham to Beckton via the Silvertown Tunnel, what’s happened?”

Mr Varney said that he would give Mr Chamberlain a personalised answer at a later time.

The consultation on the proposed bus routes involving the Silvertown Tunnel – as well as the 108 route which runs through the Blackwall Tunnel – will begin from November 16.

A TfL spokesperson said: “Once the Silvertown tunnel is open, the total number of buses running through the Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnels will significantly increase.

"TfL is committed to running at least 20 buses per hour when the new tunnel opens, and will increase the number of buses over time in response to demand.

"Work on the future bus network is well underway and we have been in discussions with key stakeholders and the Silvertown Tunnel Implementation Group to engage them in this important work.

“A public consultation on the final proposals is expected to be carried out from next month ahead of the new or extended routes launching, to align with the tunnel opening in 2025. TfL’s ambition to make all buses using both Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnel zero emission.

"Subject to the consultation, we will aim to use zero-emission buses from when the Silvertown Tunnel opens in 2025.

"We also anticipate the overall provision of buses across the wider area to increase over time following the opening of the tunnel, as further developments including at the Royal Docks and Greenwich Peninsula are built out.”

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