The Silvertown Tunnel, set to open on April 7, 2025, will provide a new connection between Silvertown and the Greenwich Peninsula, significantly improving cross-river transport in East London. Our team at GZ recently conducted the final site visit ahead of the tunnel’s launch, marking a major milestone for this vital infrastructure project.

Designed to ease congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel, which frequently experiences closures and long queues, the Silvertown Tunnel will offer faster, more reliable journeys with travel time savings of up to 20 minutes during peak hours. The tunnel will also improve public transport access with 21 zero-emission buses per hour at peak times, offering new routes and better connections.

Local businesses will benefit from improved access to markets on both sides of the river, while a dedicated cycle shuttle service will provide a safe and convenient crossing for cyclists. Additionally, ongoing air quality monitoring will ensure the tunnel meets environmental objectives.

The project was delivered by the Riverlinx consortium, which won the bid to design, build, finance, and maintain the Silvertown Tunnel following a competitive procurement process. The majority of the funding was raised through private finance, with Transport for London (TfL) set to repay the costs through regular payments linked to operational performance.

Gall Zeidler Consultants was responsible for the developed and detailed design of the special TBM segments for the CP openings, ground freezing and cross passage design.

We are proud to have contributed to this transformative project, which will enhance connectivity, support economic growth, and improve air quality in East London.

To read more about GZ’s involvement in the project, visit our project page.

For the complete TFL article please visit this site.

Picture showing GZ’s team during the last site visit of the Silvertown Tunnel on March 6th, 2025, before the grand opening in April. From the left: Toru Higuchi, Kurt Zeidler, David Morgan, Neil Moss, Michael Tinney.