Hi Everyone, 

If you haven't already emailed or written to your local MP, can I please urge you to do so as soon as you can this week. 

Louie French, MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup raised a petition in 2023 against the tolling of the Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnels (I have just been made aware of his petition in the last couple of days).  He has been actively engaged on your behalf on this issue.  If you are a resident of Old Bexley and Sidcup constituency, I am pleading with your to send him an email.  For your convenience, I have drafted a note below that you may wish re-use, and this will save you some time.  You just need to enter a few details before you send it to your MP.  I emailed all MPs (North East, East and South East London, as wells as North to Mid Kent) over the weekend, however, because I am not their constituent, they cannot advocate on my behalf - they will only advocate on your behalf, as long as you provide them with your address and postcode!

Below the the text of the draft note for MPs, I have included an updated list of MPs for the impacted constituencies from North London to Mid Kent.

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Draft Note for emails to your MPs:

Subject: Urgent: Concerns Over Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnel Tolls - Please raise this in Parliament

Dear [MP's Name],

I am writing to express my outrage and disbelief at the planned introduction of tolls on the Blackwall Tunnel and the forthcoming Silvertown Tunnel in 2025. These crossings are critical for Londoners and commuters from the South East, yet the proposed tolls will disproportionately impact already struggling households during a time of significant economic hardship.

The economic pressures resulting from the ongoing war in Ukraine, the extension of the ULEZ, and now the imposition of tolls on these essential river crossings are unsustainable. The punitive peak-hour toll rates will further disadvantage commuters from South East London and Kent. I urge you to raise this matter at Prime Minister’s Questions as a priority.

Over 35,000 people have already signed a petition opposing these tolls, available here: https://chng.it/jQmTZ9c4Pb If you are not yet familiar with its content, I encourage you to review it.

There is deep mistrust in the consultation processes run by TfL, particularly following the ULEZ consultation, where detailed feedback from tens of thousands of respondents was not made transparent. Similarly, the public deserves full disclosure of all feedback received in the consultation regarding the Blackwall/Silvertown Tunnel tolls. Lack of transparency undermines public trust and accountability.

Furthermore, the Silvertown Tunnel is not merely a convenience or a gift from City Hall. It is critical national infrastructure. Recent closures of the Blackwall Tunnel have demonstrated the devastating consequences of losing access to this essential crossing. In the event of a terrorist attack or other catastrophic event that renders the Blackwall Tunnel unusable, London’s security, economic activity, and resilience would be severely compromised.

This is a national issue, not just a local one. Central government should have provided funding for the Silvertown Tunnel to support the capital's infrastructure. Why are commuters being burdened with the cost of a project essential for national security and economic stability?

I implore you to act on this issue and ensure that the voices of your constituents are heard in Parliament.

Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]

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South East London Parliamentary Constituencies:

    Bermondsey and Old Southwark
        MP: Neil Coyle
        Party: Labour
        Email: neil.coyle.mp@parliament.uk

    Camberwell and Peckham
        MP: Harriet Harman
        Party: Labour
        Email: harriet.harman.mp@parliament.uk

    Eltham
        MP: Clive Efford
        Party: Labour
        Email: clive@cliveefford.org.uk

    Greenwich and Woolwich
        MP: Matthew Pennycook
        Party: Labour
        Email: matthew.pennycook.mp@parliament.uk

    Lewisham Deptford
        MP: Vicky Foxcroft
        Party: Labour
        Email: vicky.foxcroft.mp@parliament.uk

    Lewisham East
        MP: Janet Daby
        Party: Labour
        Email: janet.daby.mp@parliament.uk

    Lewisham West and Penge
        MP: Ellie Reeves
        Party: Labour
        Email: ellie.reeves.mp@parliament.uk

    Old Bexley and Sidcup
        MP: Louie French
        Party: Conservative
        Email: louie.french.mp@parliament.uk

    Erith and Thamesmead
        MP: Abena Oppong-Asare
        Party: Labour
        Email: abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk
      
    Bexleyheath and Crayford
        MP: David Evennett
        Party: Conservative
        Email: david.evennett.mp@parliament.uk
     
    Orpington
        MP: Gareth Bacon
        Party: Conservative
        Email: gareth.bacon.mp@parliament.uk
        

North to Mid Kent Parliamentary Constituencies:

    Dartford
        MP: Gareth Johnson
        Party: Conservative
        Email: gareth.johnson.mp@parliament.uk

    Gravesham
        MP: Adam Holloway
        Party: Conservative
        Email: adam.holloway.mp@parliament.uk

    Rochester and Strood
        MP: Kelly Tolhurst
        Party: Conservative
        Email: kelly.tolhurst.mp@parliament.uk

    Chatham and Aylesford
        MP: Tracey Crouch
        Party: Conservative
        Email: tracey.crouch.mp@parliament.uk

    Sittingbourne and Sheppey
        MP: Gordon Henderson
        Party: Conservative
        Email: gordon.henderson.mp@parliament.uk

    Faversham and Mid Kent
        MP: Helen Whately
        Party: Conservative
        Email: helen.whately.mp@parliament.uk

    Maidstone and The Weald
        MP: Helen Grant
        Party: Conservative
        Email: helen.grant.mp@parliament.uk

    Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells
        MP: Greg Clark
        Party: Conservative
        Email: greg.clark.mp@parliament.uk

    Sevenoaks
        MP: Laura Trott
        Party: Conservative
        Email: laura.trott.mp@parliament.uk

East and North East London Parliamentary Constituencies:

    Hackney North and Stoke Newington
        MP: Diane Abbott
        Party: Labour
        Email: diane.abbott.mp@parliament.uk

    Hackney South and Shoreditch
        MP: Meg Hillier
        Party: Labour
        Email: meg.hillier.mp@parliament.uk

    Bethnal Green and Bow
        MP: Rushanara Ali
        Party: Labour
        Email: rushanara.ali.mp@parliament.uk

    Tower Hamlets
        MP: Apsana Begum
        Party: Labour
        Email: apsana.begum.mp@parliament.uk

    Poplar and Limehouse
        MP: Jim Fitzpatrick
        Party: Labour
        Email: jim.fitzpatrick.mp@parliament.uk

    East Ham
    MP: Stephen Timms
        Party: Labour
        Email: timmss@parliament.uk

    Stratford and Bow 
    MP: Uma Kumaran
        Party: Labour
        Email: uma.kumaran.mp@parliament.uk

    West Ham and Beckton
    MP: James Asser
        Party: Labour
        Email: james.asser.mp@parliament.uk

    London Fields (Hackney)
        MP: Alan Brown
        Party: Labour
        Email: alan.brown.mp@parliament.uk

    Walthamstow
        MP: Stella Creasy
        Party: Labour
        Email: stella.creasy.mp@parliament.uk

    Leyton and Wanstead
        MP: John Cryer
        Party: Labour
        Email: john.cryer.mp@parliament.uk

    Ilford North
        MP: Wes Streeting
        Party: Labour
        Email: wes.streeting.mp@parliament.uk

    Ilford South
        MP: Sam Tarry
        Party: Labour
        Email: sam.tarry.mp@parliament.uk

    Romford
        MP: Andrew Rosindell
        Party: Conservative
        Email: andrew.rosindell.mp@parliament.uk

    Hornchurch and Upminster
        MP: Julia Lopez
        Party: Conservative
        Email: julia.lopez.mp@parliament.uk

    Chingford and Woodford Green
        MP: Iain Duncan Smith
        Party: Conservative
        Email: iain.duncansmith.mp@parliament.uk

    Enfield North
        MP: Feryal Clark
        Party: Labour
        Email: feryal.clark.mp@parliament.uk

    Enfield Southgate
        MP: Bambos Charalambous
        Party: Labour
        Email: bambos.charalambous.mp@parliament.uk

    Enfield West
        MP: Nick de Bois
        Party: Conservative
        Email: nick.debois.mp@parliament.uk

    Havering and Redbridge
        MP: Julia Lopez
        Party: Conservative
        Email: julia.lopez.mp@parliament.uk
        
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