East London’s “greener and public-transport focused” Silvertown Tunnel opens

Congestion and poor air quality around the Blackwall Tunnel in East London should start improving significantly following the opening of the nearby Silvertown Tunnel this month (7 April 2025).

The 1.4km Thames tunnel, which was first announced under former Mayor Boris Johnson in 2012, links Newham to the Greenwich Peninsula. It has been delivered by Transport for London (TfL) and Riverlinx Limited, which designed, built and financed the project and will also operate and maintain it over the next 25 years.

At the request of the current Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, the scheme was reviewed in October 2016, with a series of enhancements made to the proposals to make it greener and more public transport-focused.

With the tunnel’s opening the hourly number of buses able to cross the river in the area has increased from six to 21. One of the new bus routes, the Superloop 4 – connects south-east London to Canary Wharf for the first time and makes it easier for people from Blackheath, Lee and Grove Park to cross the Thames.

The tunnel also has capacity for further bus routes to be added in the future as planned regeneration in Newham, Greenwich and Tower Hamlets progresses in the coming decade. To allow cyclists to cross the river safely, TfL has launched an innovative cycle shuttle service, which will be free for at least a year.

To help manage traffic levels across the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels, to repay costs for building the new Silvertown Tunnel, and to cover ongoing maintenance and operation costs at both tunnels. Without introducing this user charge at both tunnels, TfL argues there would likely be high levels of traffic and congestion in the area, which would lead to detrimental air quality impacts, as well as longer journey times.

John Hagan, CEO of Riverlinx, said “The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model has proven to be highly beneficial for large-scale infrastructure projects like the Silvertown Tunnel - a prime example. We have leveraged the strengths of both public and private sectors and achieved greater efficiency, innovation, and excellence in engineering. This collaborative approach has ensured that we have delivered on time and within budget, while also fostering team cohesion and integration - the P for Partnership here is the absolute cornerstone. We have shown how the PPP model can bring about positive change, benefiting the community and enhancing the quality of life for Londoners. I am really proud of what we have delivered here as an integrated team.”

Borja Trashorras, Project Director for the Riverlinx CJV, added “The Riverlinx CJV joint venture has delivered the Silvertown Tunnel project on time, to budget and at the highest standard of delivery and engineering. Our collaborative approach with TfL and Riverlinx SPV has enabled us to leverage international expertise from our three partners: Ferrovial through its construction division, BAM and SK ecoplant. The construction here has included advanced engineering techniques with world firsts for a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) of this size, exemplifying our commitment to excellence and innovation. To have delivered this project in five years despite all of the recent world challenges is truly exceptional. I congratulate our team, everything we have achieved, and the positive legacy we leave not only for London but also for our industry.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said “The new Silvertown Tunnel will transform travel in the South and East of our city, particularly across the River Thames, and will help to address the chronic congestion and poor air quality around Blackwall Tunnel. The new tunnel will reduce journey times, help to manage pollution levels and improve cross-river public transport.”

Andy Lord, London's Transport Commissioner said, “The new Silvertown Tunnel is vital to supporting growth in east and southeast London. We have worked hard to ensure that, alongside the user charge, there is a package of supporting measures for Londoners and businesses. These will ensure that the new tunnel delivers on its objectives of reducing congestion and providing resilience at the Blackwall Tunnel, while supporting local residents on low income, small businesses, sole traders and local charities.”

With the Silvertown Tunnel now open, the land previously used for its construction will be returned to the Greater London Authority and Silvertown Homes Limited, to begin work on Thameside West - a riverfront development set to deliver 5,000 new homes, strategic industrial land and a new DLR station. This major site forms part of the Mayor of London's wider vision for the regeneration of the Royal Docks, which will see over 36,000 new homes built and 55,000 new jobs created across this historic part of east London. These ambitious plans will be supported by enhanced transport connections, provided by the Silvertown Tunnel and the new cross-river bus services it facilitates.