Silvertown Tunnel

London, England, UK
Transforming the Lives of East London Communities through sustainable infrastructure investment
12 November 2019 Financial Close
2019 – 2025 Construction Period
25 years Concession Period
2050 Handback

The background

East London, in the UK, has seen significant population growth with little road infrastructure investment over the last 30 years. To prepare for the future, Transport for London (TfL) will deliver the new Silvertown Tunnel to connect high-growth residential areas, relieve chronic traffic congestion and poor air quality around the existing 122-year-old Blackwall tunnel.  

Transport for London entered a 30-year public, private, partnership agreement with RiverLinx consortium in 2019, comprising; Invesis, Macquarie Capital, Cintra, Aberdeen Standard Investments, and SK E&C. RiverLinx will design, build, finance and maintain (DBFM) the project for 25 years once operational.  

Construction works for Silvertown Tunnel are underway and despite the impact of COVID 19, our selected construction partners have delivered considerable progress on site. By communicating regularly with the client, Riverlinx alongside our partners, have introduced effective measures where possible to drive progress and meet the construction programme. 

Once complete, Silvertown Tunnel will be a modern 1.4km twin-lane road tunnel under the River Thames, linking North Greenwich and Silvertown. The new tunnel will improve the reliability and resilience of the wider road network, reducing journey times for commuters by approximately 20 minutes.  

Client

Transport for London (TfL)

Capital Value

£1bn

Sponsor/Investor

Invesis, Cintra, Macquarie, Aberdeen and SK E&C

Consortium

RiverLinx

Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC)

BAM Nuttall, Wayss & Freytag, Ferrovial Agroman and SK E&C

Operations and Maintenance (O&M)

Riverlinx

Business value

Each member of the RiverLinx consortium brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, having previously delivered complex financial, design, construction, operations and maintenance works for tunneling projects around the world.

Throughout the lifecycle of the project, Transport for London can expect to work with a consistent team of experts, who are committed to delivering the project on time and on budget. Through collaborative working solutions, RiverLinx will liaise with the client, their development partners and the local community to effectively manage all stakeholder expectations.

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Key features

By using the PPP contract approach and partnering with the RiverLinx consortium, the project;  

  • won the Partnerships Bulletin Award for Best Road, Tunnel Project in 2022. The jury described Silvertown Tunnel as ‘… a pioneering project in the United Kingdom with a customised financial plan. We were impressed with the efficiency of the contractual framework between the parties and its social and environmental impact” 
  • SPV developed an extensive Community Engagement Plan, describing how it will keep the local community informed prior to and throughout the works 
  • is expected to increase public transport usage by 30% resulting in less congestion and improved quality of air