CHILDREN in Greenwich may be at risk from increased air pollution created by a new river crossing, it has been claimed.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has pledged to build the Silvertown Tunnel, connecting The Royal Docks to Greenwich Peninsula, by 2021.  However his plan is under attack by Green London Assembly Member Darren Johnson.

Visiting Millennium Primary School in Greenwich Millennium Village, he said: "It will be pupils at the schools closest to the tunnel site and on the approach roads who will suffer the extremely serious health consequences if he keeps pushing for this hugely polluting crossing."

Figures from the Clean Air in London campaign indicate that living near roads travelled by 10,000 or more vehicles per day could be responsible for 15 to 30 per cent of all new cases of asthma in children.  The Mayor’s office has said the tunnel will have a capacity of up to 2,400 vehicles per hour in each direction.

However, Transport for London have argued that the tunnel - also backed by Greenwich Council - may actually reduce pollution. 

Managing director of planning Michele Dix said: "Improving the number of river crossings will help to reduce the time vehicles spend queuing in traffic and as a result should reduce vehicle emissions." 

She added that new river crossings were "crucial" because of increased population in east London.

The Greenwich peninsula area has experienced a boom in recent years because of developments such as The O2 and suffered from particularly high pollution levels in early March. 

Official advice during such periods of high pollution is for adults and children with lung problems to reduce strenuous physical exertion, particularly outdoors.  The Institute of Medicine’s figures show that 150 deaths across Greenwich alone may have been caused in 2008 by exposure to pollution. 

When questioned on the environmental implications of the tunnel at a recent People's Question Time meeting in Catford, Mr Johnson said: "I don't think we can just shove our heads in the sand and refuse to connect south London with north of the river. There are massive economic benefits."