Almost 500,000 drivers have already been slapped with fines for driving through the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels without paying, just six months after the tolls began.

The sanctions have been divided nearly evenly between capital residents and those from elsewhere, with approximately 230,000 tickets going to London-registered vehicles and 237,000 to those registered beyond the capital’s boundaries.

These penalties were distributed amongst 281,242 vehicle owners, indicating numerous motorists received multiple notices, data from Transport for London shows.

The charging system commenced when the Silvertown tunnel became operational on April 7, marking the first time in over 120 years that motorists faced fees for using the adjacent Blackwall tunnel.

Enforcement began following a grace period, with penalty charge notices starting from April 30.

Sanctions are potentially worth nearly £85million in total value, though motorists who settle within a fortnight receive a 50 per cent reduction on the standard £180 penalty.

Transport for London’s overall receipts from road and tunnel levies have reached £401million since April, surpassing projections by £64million.

This additional income has been attributed predominantly to enhanced Ulez enforcement rather than tunnel penalties, according to a finance report presented to the TfL board.

The Mayor introduced the charging system as a method to manage traffic volumes whilst generating funds to offset the £2.2billion construction costs of the Silvertown tunnel.

The new crossing connects the Greenwich peninsula with the Royal Docks and Canning Town, offering an alternative Thames crossing to alleviate persistent bottlenecks at the Blackwall tunnel.

The charging framework operates with fees of £4 during peak periods and £1.50 at other times, though motorists can only access the reduced rate by registering in advance with TfL’s AutoPay system.

Peak charges apply on weekdays between 6am and 10am for northbound journeys and 4pm to 7pm for southbound travel, while the tunnels remain free to use between 10pm and 6am.

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Concerns have emerged regarding the clarity of signage on approach roads, with suggestions that motorists may not be adequately informed about the toll requirements.

Drivers must settle their toll by midnight on the third day following their journey, with over 3.3 million vehicles now enrolled in TfL’s AutoPay system.

Conservative City Hall leader Susan Hall has described the figures as “eye-watering” and criticised what she perceives as an ongoing assault on motorists.

“The war on motorists is not dead, certainly not in Sadiq Khan’s London,” she told The Standard.

She added: “To make more than £400million from motorists at a time when the cost of living is sky-high is shameful. The signage could be so much better.”

Hall admitted that she had received a penalty after encountering difficulties with TfL’s AutoPay system.

A TfL spokesperson said: “The Silvertown tunnel, supported by user charges, is already reducing congestion around the Blackwall tunnel, improving journey times, and supporting thousands of Londoners to cross the river using public transport.”

They emphasised that revenue from charges and enforcement activities funds tunnel operations, maintenance and repayment costs, with any surplus channelled back into the broader public transport infrastructure.