The RiverLinx consortium – comprised of Aberdeen Standard Investments, BAM PPP PGGM, Cintra, Macquarie Capital and SK E&C – has been confirmed by Transport for London (TfL) as Preferred Bidder to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Silvertown tunnel in East London.

This new tunnel will connect the Greenwich peninsula and the Silvertown district. The contract is worth about GBP 1 billion (US$ 1.26 billion), and design and construction of the project will be delivered by a consortium of BAM Nuttall (including sister company Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau providing specialist tunnel engineering expertise), Ferrovial Agroman and SK E&C.

The design includes a 1.4-kilometer twin-bore road tunnel under the River Thames as well as 0.6-kilometers of access ramps.  It will connect south of the River Thames with the access to the existing Blackwall Tunnel and north of the River Thames with the Tidal Basin Roundabout, in Silvertown, easing traffic congestion in this key London location. The tunnel will also be located within the extended Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) which from October 2021 will mean any vehicles not meeting strict emission standards will have to pay an additional ULEZ charge to TfL to use the tunnel once it’s open.