Silvertown Tunnel

United Kingdom

Silvertown Tunnel is a landmark piece of infrastructure redefining operational excellence in complex urban transport. Conceived to address long-standing congestion and resilience challenges at the Blackwall Tunnel, it provides London with its first new road crossing under the Thames in more than 50 years, while enabling a step change in reliable, zero-emission public transport. Opened on 7 April 2025, the 1.4km twin-bore tunnel is fully operational and delivering benefits from day one.

Delivered under a 30-year public-private partnership, it demonstrates how disciplined contract management, whole-life thinking and a mature partnership culture translate directly into strong operational outcomes. The tunnel opened on time and on budget, accelerating the realisation of public benefits and avoiding inefficiencies often associated with complex asset handovers. Governance arrangements emphasise transparency, early issue resolution and a clear focus on safety, availability and user experience, supported by one of the most demanding performance regimes applied to a UK road asset. Within months of opening, outcomes are already exceeding expectations. Congestion has reduced significantly on key approaches, peak journey times have fallen sharply, and network resilience has been transformed, removing a historic single point of failure in London’s road network. Public transport reliability has improved, with a substantial increase in bus journeys and tens of thousands of daily zero-emission crossings now taking place through the tunnel. Beyond transport performance, Silvertown is delivering meaningful social value through investment in skills, employment and education, while improved connectivity is unlocking regeneration and economic growth on both sides of the Thames.