Transport for London (TfL) and Riverlinx Limited, the consortium designing, building, operating and maintaining the new tunnel, have confirmed that the Silvertown Tunnel is planned to open on 7 April 2025. New bus routes serving the tunnel, which will be free for at least the first year, will also launch the same day. The introduction of these new buses, including the Superloop 4 (SL4) between Canary Wharf and Grove Park, will increase the hourly number of buses able to cross the river in the area from six to 21, meaning more Londoners will benefit from using the tunnel.
With construction work on the Silvertown project now coming towards a close, and operational readiness testing underway ahead of the tunnel opening, work is moving to installing the infrastructure which will support the new zero-emission bus routes that will serve the Silvertown Tunnel – including the new cycle-shuttle service under the Thames. For at least 12 months from 7 April 2025, the new cross-river bus routes serving Greenwich, Newham, and Tower Hamlets – including the new Superloop SL4 which runs from Grove Park to Canary Wharf, will be free.
TfL will also shortly begin to install the new shelters and cycle racks for the zero-emission cycle-shuttle service, which will have a bespoke design to support cyclists and distinguish them from the regular bus network. The service will operate every 12 minutes, seven days a week from 06:30 to 21:30. It will have two stops, one on each side of the river, with the ‘north’ stop located on Seagull Lane close to Royal Victoria DLR station, and the ‘south’ stop located on Millennium Way near the junction with Old School Close.
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The service will also have a unique look and feel to help distinguish it from the regular bus network. This branding will be used on the buses, the stops and shelters, and on the wayfinding signs to raise awareness of the new service. Maps showing local cycle routes will also be on display at shelters to help with journey planning and encourage further journeys by cycle. Further details of the branding will be revealed in the new year.
Work on Tidal Basin Roundabout, together with new walking and cycling routes around the roundabout and along Dock Road has also recently been completed, with work on improving Lower Lea Crossing for all road users currently underway and due to be complete by the end of spring 2025.
First announced in 2012, the 1.4km Silvertown Tunnel will link Newham to the Greenwich Peninsula and, supported by the new user charges, will make journeys faster and more reliable, with average journey time savings expected to be up to 20 minutes at peak times. The tunnel is also located in the Ultra Low Emission Zone and will also support economic growth and allow TfL to increase the number of buses able to cross the river in this area from six to 21 buses an hour in each direction during the busiest times – all of which will be zero emission at the tailpipe.
To help manage traffic levels across the Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels, repay costs for building the new Silvertown Tunnel, and cover ongoing maintenance and operation costs at both tunnels, a user charge will be introduced on 7 April 2025. Without introducing this user charge at both tunnels, 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.
Stuart Harvey, Chief Capital Officer at Transport for London said: “I’m pleased that we can now confirm that the Silvertown Tunnel will open on 7 April 2025, following years of hard work and close collaboration between ourselves and Riverlinx Limited. The tunnel is on track to open in the coming months and is a testament to brilliant and ground-breaking engineering.
“The new tunnel, along with the initial user charges, discounts and exemptions, will support growth in the local area and provide new public transport connections across the river. These measures will also help manage traffic demand as well as the environmental impacts, and ensure the new tunnel delivers on its objectives of reducing traffic congestion and providing resilience at the Blackwall Tunnel, while ensuring we support local residents on low income, small businesses, sole traders and local charities.”
John Hagan, CEO, Riverlinx, said: “We are pleased to announce the opening date for the project. This represents the culmination of effort for the thousands of people that have worked on the project over the past five years. I would especially like to recognise our CJV partners BAM, Ferrovial, and SK ecoplant. We at Riverlinx look forward to beginning the operations and maintenance phase and our continued partnership with TfL.”
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Borja Trashorras, Project Director, Riverlinx CJV said: “Following over five years of careful planning, design and construction, it is truly rewarding to see the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel. With its determination and passion, the Construction Joint Venture (CJV) team of BAM, Ferrovial & SK ecoplant has consistently outperformed throughout the design and construction phase. The team has delivered solutions to overcome significant engineering challenges and complex working environments and the project will open on time and with the highest quality and safety standards. Through outstanding collaboration and integrated teamwork between TfL, Riverlinx and the CJV, we are delivering an infrastructure asset that will serve London for generations.”
Stagecoach London Managing Director Paul Lynch said: “We’re excited to be asked to operate the innovative and important Silvertown Tunnel cycle-shuttle service as part of the enhanced cross river public transport offering, and we’re busy making sure our specially converted zero emission buses will be ready in time. We also hope to see the new tunnel ease traffic conditions for our other bus services in the area.”
East London residents and businesses currently face chronic traffic congestion in the area around the Blackwall Tunnel. The Victorian-era tunnel suffers from frequent closures – more than 700 times a year – which result in large tailbacks, poor air quality and millions of hours lost due to drivers being trapped in traffic congestion.
Throughout the construction of the new tunnel, which began in 2021, more than 1,860,000 tonnes of material have been transported to and from the site via river rather than using roads – helping to remove around 110,000 lorry trips from local roads around the construction site. The tunnel boring machine, Jill (named after Jill Viner – London’s first female bus driver), was also innovatively turned around within the rotation chamber in Greenwich to then bore the second tunnel back towards Newham – a UK engineering first. As a project, the Silvertown Tunnel has also enabled more than 120 apprenticeships across the supply chain, as well as supported the hiring of more than 90 people who were previously unemployed and offered more than 1,500 days in placements for the next generation of engineers.
For more information, please visit www.tfl.gov.uk/silvertown-tunnel
