The roads have cleared around the Blackwall Tunnel following an Extinction Rebellion protest.

Residents and members of Extinction Rebellion gathered this morning around 7.30am to fight against the new Silvertown Tunnel.

Slivertown isn't set to open for another six years, but the protesters think that they can change the way the governments act.

In a series of tweets this morning Extinction Rebellion Greenwich said: "Truly sorry to the individual lives we have disrupted this morning. We don’t know what else to do. We have written letters, appealed to government, tried to educate - nothing worked.

"Local resident says: It's more for my children that I am doing this. rather than myself. I live up the road, this is the most polluted zone, it's insane. Thank you for doing this.

"We are causing minor disruption today to prevent complete ecological & climate breakdown in the years to come. We fight for clean air & a better future for all of us.There is no room for the toxic "#silvertowntunnel in a climate emergency. Tell @SadiqKhan that HE needs to “let London breathe” by cancelling this tunnel now!"

Greeenwich Council has responded. 

Cllr Denice Scott-McDonald said: "We are acutely aware of the environmental crisis facing our area, which is why we declared a climate emergency earlier this year committing us to being carbon-neutral by 2030 at the latest.

"We support TFL’s plans for the Silvertown Tunnel because studies show it will actually help us achieve our sustainable transport objectives, relieving the congestion and pollution currently created by use of the Blackwall Tunnel, and increasing the use of public transport through the creation of more cross-river bus routes.

"Traffic modelling shows the initiative will result in a significant reduction in peak-time queuing on the approach to the tunnels, which will by 2022 fall under the restrictions of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, further reducing pollution.

"We appreciate the strength of feeling on this issue and agree with many of Extinction Rebellion’s broader aims, however in this case we believe that TFL’s plans will have an overall positive environmental impact on the borough.

"As such we continue to support the Silvertown Tunnel and will be working with TFL to mitigate any negative impacts in terms of noise and pollution during construction.

Extinction Rebellion says “We are demanding the cancellation of the Silvertown Tunnel. It is irresponsible and unaffordable in a climate emergency.”