The Leader of Bexley Council, Cllr Ian Clement, has written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Ruth Kelly, urging her to reconvene the inquiry into the Thames Gateway Bridge in light of reports of a new toll charge for the Blackwall Tunnel.

"We are fundamentally opposed to the imposition of tolls on the Blackwall Tunnel, which would change all of the traffic forecasts, the economic appraisal, the environmental assessment and the business case for the bridge," explains Cllr Clement. "This information, together with the proposals to increase the tolls at Dartford crossing, must be taken into account if the inquiry is to get a true picture of how Bexley residents will be affected."

"Transport for London (TfL) made it clear at the Public Inquiry that it had not taken any account of a toll at the Blackwall Tunnel. The effect of a toll on the Tunnel must be reassessed before any decision is taken on the Thames Gateway Bridge scheme."

"Introducing tolls at the Blackwall Tunnel would change traffic movements throughout East London and increase the traffic using the Thames Gateway Bridge and the extent of its catchment area. These would have a devastating effect on Bexley and fundamentally change the nature and function of the Thames Gateway Bridge from a local to a strategic bridge. It is even more essential now that the Inquiry is reconvened and this new evidence properly evaluated."

The differential tolls proposed for the Thames Gateway Bridge were the most significant of the mechanisms put forward at the original inquiry to control traffic using the bridge. A discount was proposed for local residents, along with a relatively high toll designed to limit the volume of non-local traffic. The effectiveness of this regime would be diminished by a toll at the Blackwall Tunnel.