A long-awaited but controversial new road crossing has opened - with drivers facing fresh tolls.

Kent Motorists using the Silvertown Tunnel, which opened today (April 7), and the previously free Blackwall Tunnel will now have to pay a fee of up to £4 each way at peak travel times.

Charges will apply to those using the underwater links seven days a week, between 6am and 10pm.

The costs will vary between travel times, as well as whether they are paid by auto-pay or via phone or online.

Peak times, which are weekdays between 6am and 10am London-bound, and 4pm to 7pm coastbound, will set car drivers back £4 each way.

Outside of these periods and at the weekend, it will cost £1.50. Drivers who do not set up auto-pay will pay peak charges at all times.

Failure to pay could result in a £180 penalty charge notice, reduced to £90 if paid within two weeks.

Taxis and blue badge holders registered with Transport for London (TfL) will be exempt, and charges will be reimbursed to NHS staff and patients eligible through the NHS reimbursement scheme.

For low-income drivers living in 12 east and south-east London boroughs and the City of London, a 50% discount will apply.

Small businesses, sole traders and charities will also benefit from a £1 discount on the off-peak auto-pay charge on a maximum of 3 vehicles, for at least 12 months from its opening.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the new Silvertown Tunnel will transform travel in the area, help manage pollution levels and improve cross-river public transport.

He added: “East London residents and businesses currently face chronic traffic congestion in the area around the Blackwall Tunnel.

“The Victorian-era tunnel suffers from frequent closures - more than 700 times a year - which result in large tailbacks, poor air quality and millions of hours lost due to drivers being trapped in traffic congestion.”

But it’s proved controversial, even among Mr Khan’s Labour colleagues.

Jim Dickson (Lab), who represents Dartford, says it is unfair for Sadiq Khan and Tfl to propose a discount for people in the London boroughs while ignoring those who live close to it in Kent.

Speaking previously, he said the crossing will undoubtedly contribute to easing of congestion in the areas around both the Blackwall and the new Silvertown tunnels but not extending the discount scheme was an oversight.

He added: “It is my view it is important that TfL considers an extension of the same concessions to be received by Londoners to include those within a close geographical radius outside London.

“However, if this were not possible an additional tier of discounts for those otherwise meeting qualifying criteria but living outside the immediate area should be introduced.”

The project, which has cost £2.2bn, was approved by the mayor having been first proposed back in 2012.

It aims to ease congestion at the nearby Blackwall Tunnel which runs from North Greenwich to Blackwall.

But the new 1.4km link will connect the Greenwich Peninsula on the eastern side with Silvertown, which is near London City Airport on the opposite side of the River Thames.

It has been designed, built and financed by Riverlinx Limited, who will also operate and maintain it over the next 25 years.

The tolls on the two routes will help manage traffic in the area, says TfL who predicts journey saving times of 20 minutes at peak times.

They will also help repay the costs for the tunnel and cover ongoing maintenance and operation costs at both.

London's Transport Commissioner Andy Lord said: “The new Silvertown Tunnel is vital to supporting growth in east and southeast London and boosting cross-river bus services and I want to thank all the engineers, construction workers, designers and others who have worked so hard over the years to deliver this project successfully on time and on budget.”

It forms part of a wider roll out of other privately financed infrastructure (PFI) projects in the UK.

Last month the government gave the green light to another major river crossing project, the Lower Thames Crossing near Gravesend, which would also be financed privately and aims to reduce congestion at the Dartford Crossing, also tolled.

However, PFI projects have courted controversy in the past with the previous Conservative government banning their use for central government projects in 2018 after the National Audit Office declared them poor value for taxpayers.