Silvertown Tunnel Opening in London Showcases Infrastructure Excellence

The Silvertown Tunnel, a landmark infrastructure project that will significantly enhance transportation in East London, England has officially opened. This achievement, delivered by Ferrovial on behalf of Transport for London, underscores the general contractor’s commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable solutions through its end-to-end model and the public-private partnership framework.

The joint-venture Riverlinx CJV, comprised of Ferrovial (through its construction division), BAM and SK ecoplant, has been responsible for the design and construction of the tunnel, which will provide a vital new link between the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks in East London, reducing congestion and improving connectivity for residents and businesses, alike.

The success of the project highlights the advantages of the PPP model, which combines public sector oversight with private sector efficiency and expertise.

Construction of the Silvertown Tunnel has been marked by numerous innovations and engineering feats, such as employing the largest-diameter tunnel boring machine ever used in the UK, and world firsts for this-sized TBM in terms of the innovative pressure ring launch and floating rotation systems. Throughout construction, roughly 1.9 million tons of waste/materials were transported to and from the site via river rather than using roads, equaling 71% of the transport, and subsequently preventing 125,000 heavy goods vehicle journeys on one of London’s most polluted and over-capacitated roads during peak times of the day. In addition, Riverlinx achieved a 28% reduction in carbon emissions (11,728tCO2e) by challenging the concept design, removing the secondary tunnel lining, reducing tunnel diameter and redesigning cross-passage rings.