The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has welcomed the announcement that the new Silvertown Tunnel in east London will go ahead in the coming years.

Responding to the news, FTA head of national and regional policy Christopher Snelling stated: "The congestion we currently have at crossings like Blackwall causes massive unnecessary local pollution and disruption for residents – we would all be better off with smoother flowing traffic.

"This new crossing will not be enough to solve everything, but it will be a big step forward."

He added that the tunnel will provide a significant boost to the local economy and will support the logistics community as it aims to ensure deliveries into some of the busiest areas of the capital are carried out with greater ease in future.

However, the FTA also argued that more detail surrounding the scheme is now needed, with more information on potential charges for users.

Freight operators must not be discriminated against in terms of excessive fees for use of the tunnel, as this will likely become one of the main conduits of traffic into the city in the years to come.

When complete, the new Silvertown Tunnel will connect Greenwich Peninsula with the Royal Docks. It will help to limit existing lengthy delays for users of the M25 and could provide millions of pounds in savings for the transport and logistics industry when fully operational.