Greenwich’s transport chief has said “mitigation” is a priority for the council as bosses across the river write to TfL calling for the Silvertown Tunnel to be scrapped.

At a full council meeting on July 18, cabinet member Denise Scott-McDonald was continuously pressed by campaigners on the council’s stance towards the contentious road.

Greenwich is one of many councils, including Bromley, Lewisham and Southwark, to put air quality and the environment further up their agendas in recent weeks.

Environmental campaigners have slated the council for declaring a climate emergency whilst continuing to back a new tunnel between Greenwich and Silvertown.

Cllr Scott-McDonald said, “Since I have taken on this portfolio one of my key concerns has been mitigation. I know that before, the officers, with my council colleagues, have fought for mitigation.

“With the development consent order they were forthright in fighting for things for our residents. Not only that, we have a legal agreement. My colleagues said we needed to fight for more money and mitigation.

“Even before the project begins there will be the Silvertown Tunnel Implementation Group and through that there will be more fighting for concerns for our local residents.”

When pressed on whether Greenwich retracting its support would encourage TfL to think again, the cabinet member said: “I really don’t know”.

Meanwhile over the river in Hackney, the Mayor has written to Sadiq Khan, who chairs TfL, to outline the north London borough’s concerns over a new road.

“We urge you to rethink these plans and use the £1billion saved to invest in more sustainable forms of transport”, Phillip Glanvillew wrote.

It comes as anti-Silvertown campaigners and Extinction Rebellion members protested outside City Hall yesterday.

The group have called on residents to withhold a chunk of their council tax until the Mayor rethinks the tunnel.

Extinction Rebellion, who protested outside City Hall on July 17,  are calling the campaign “TaxRebellion” and asking for Silvertown and Bow Concrete Works to be scrapped and diesel buses to be replaced.