Transport for London (TfL) is facing criticism for spending approximately £2 million a year—equivalent to £5,400 per day—on a free shuttle bus that carries as few as 51 cyclists daily through the Silvertown Tunnel. The service, which runs every 12 minutes from Seagull Lane in the Royal Docks to Greenwich Peninsula, has seen demand plummet since its launch in April 2025, with recent figures showing just 51 users per day in early January, translating to over £100 per passenger.
Mandated Service Until 2028
The zero-emission shuttle is a condition of the Development Consent Order granted in 2018, requiring TfL to operate the service until 2028. Cyclists are currently banned from riding through the tunnel, which is reserved for motorists. The service is part of TfL's commitment to sustainable transport, but its low usage has drawn sharp criticism from political figures.
Reform UK's Alex Wilson, a London Assembly Member, has been vocal in his opposition. "It's a complete waste of money because nobody's using it," Wilson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). "It's ridiculous. So it costs about £5,500 to run each day—even with 100-130 passengers, it works out £43 per passenger. I don't think that's a good use of taxpayers' money and I'm not sure that anyone else really does either."
Observed Empty Buses
On a warm Thursday in July, LDRS reporters observed three consecutive buses leaving the Seagull Lane stop without a single passenger on board. However, around lunchtime, the service began to see some use. Harsha, a 25-year-old delivery worker who uses the shuttle regularly, said, "I am a regular user for three to four months now. It's very useful to get across—I go for delivery work in Greenwich, so it's very helpful." He added, "There's a maximum of four or five cyclists on these—not more than that. They could probably increase the time between buses to 15 or 20 minutes—the people who do need to use it can wait."
Cost and Comparisons
The Mayor of London has confirmed the service costs around £2 million per year. While initial usage peaked at 299 cyclists in the first week, demand has fallen sharply. TfL's own figures show that on a typical weekday, the shuttle carries between 100 and 130 cyclists, which is similar to the number using the Woolwich Ferry and significantly higher than the London Cable Car. However, Wilson argues that the cost per passenger is unjustifiable, suggesting that alternative options like the Tube or cable car would be more cost-effective.
Future Plans and Defence
In response to criticism, TfL is exploring allowing pedestrians to use the shuttle service to boost footfall. A TfL spokesperson defended the service, stating, "The cycle shuttle offers a safe and convenient way for cyclists to cross the river between Silvertown and North Greenwich. Cyclists have already made thousands of journeys using this new free service, which transports around 100-130 cyclists across the river on a typical weekday—similar to the number of cyclists who use the Woolwich Ferry and significantly higher than the London Cable Car."
Wilson, however, remains unconvinced, vowing to continue pressing City Hall to lobby ministers to alter the requirements. "There's got to be better things we can do transport wise with even just £2 million. This is a symbol of everything that this Mayor's about. It's a woke vanity project—Net Zero cycling buses, all wonderful stuff as he would see it. But people are voting with their feet—they're not using it," he said.
