The Silvertown Tunnel: Delivering Complex Infrastructure in one of the world’s busiest cities - London
The Silvertown Tunnel: Delivering Complex Infrastructure in one of the world’s busiest cities - London
The Silvertown Tunnel in East London stands as a remarkable example of how large-scale infrastructure can be successfully delivered within the confines of a busy global city - on an incredibly tight deadline of five and a half years.
Situated in the fast evolving East part of London, the project faced numerous challenges that required not just technical expertise but a strategic, collaborative approach to overcome.
In this piece, John Heffernan shares how innovative thinking, strong teamwork, and community engagement were key to the successful delivery of this project that has created 100s of career opportunities for young people.
The tunnel has been delivered by joint venture partners BAM, Ferrovial Construction and SK ecoplant, known as Riverlinx on behalf of TfL.
A new connection for East London
The East part of London has long faced challenges with connectivity, and the 1.4km Silvertown Tunnel aims to address this gap by linking Silvertown in Newham with the Greenwich Peninsula. The tunnel will ease traffic congestion, improve bus services, and help people move around more easily, ultimately enhancing air quality in the city.
However, beyond just reducing congestion, I hope people will appreciate the remarkable engineering behind the project. The tunnel was constructed using the largest diameter tunnel boring machine (TBM) ever used in the UK— weighing an impressive 1,800t, 82m long, and 11.9m in diameter. Tunnelling is already a complex task, but doing so in the heart of a busy city takes it to an entirely new level.
Overcoming Urban Complexity
One of the primary challenges of building the Silvertown Tunnel was navigating London’s dense utility landscape. From high-voltage power lines to sewage systems, the city’s infrastructure is complex and requires careful coordination to ensure that existing services are either relocated or modified to make way for new construction. The Riverlinx project team demonstrated incredible creativity, to navigate these challenges and progress the project without any delays. Effective communication and a strong working relationship with utility providers were critical in preventing delays that could have otherwise stopped the project moving forward.
Lean Team Structure: Efficiency and Speed
The Private Public Partnership (PPP) structure at Silvertown provided the core team with greater autonomy, enabling quicker and more efficient decision-making. With a relatively lean team structure in place, we were able to stay agile and focused, delivering results faster. The client placed strong trust in our abilities, giving us the freedom to move forward with the project. This approach not only streamlined the process but also helped the project team complete the tunnel on time—an impressive achievement, especially considering that similar projects in Europe often take twice as long to finish.
Securing the Necessary Approvals
Securing the necessary consents to build the tunnel was a complex and time-consuming process. The team had learned from previous projects that effective engagement with consent-granting bodies was essential to avoid delays. By approaching the process thoroughly, addressing concerns, and going above and beyond what was required, the team ensured the timely approval of essential permits. This proactive strategy ensured that project timelines remained intact, proving the value of understanding and managing regulatory processes from the outset.
Adapting to global challenges
Despite facing unprecedented global challenges during its five-and-a-half-year development, the team managed to navigate these uncertainties and still deliver the project on time. It withstood the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, hyperinflation spiking material costs and the complexities of Brexit.
Brexit in particular posed a unique challenge for resourcing, in terms of accessing skilled workers from Europe. While this was an obstacle, the team adapted by sourcing talent locally and leveraging established UK-based subcontractors, avoiding the disruptions that Brexit might have caused. This adaptability highlights the importance of building flexible, resilient teams capable of adjusting to external changes without compromising on quality or delivery.
Community Engagement: Creating Long-Term Value
Beyond simply completing the project, Riverlinx has focused on creating lasting value for the community.
The project has provided career opportunities for young people, offered internships, and hosted several school visits. For BAM, delivering the project is just as much about generating social value as it is about engineering. Engineering is an incredibly rewarding career, and BAM is committed to helping more young people explore the opportunities it offers, from building vital infrastructure and protecting communities from flooding to shaping the schools and hospitals of the future.
The Power of Trust, Innovation, and Collaboration
The Silvertown Tunnel is more than just a piece of engineering; it is a testament to the power of trust, innovation, and collaboration in delivering complex infrastructure projects. By fostering a lean, efficient team, engaging with the community, and finding creative solutions to logistical challenges, BAM together with its colleagues across Riverlinx was able to transform a seemingly impossible task into a successful, timely delivery. As we look to the future of urban infrastructure, the lessons from Silvertown are clear: a holistic approach that balances technical execution with community involvement and adaptive strategies will be key to tackling the challenges of tomorrow’s cities.
About the author
John Heffernan
Deputy Project Director at the Silvertown Tunnel
John Heffernan is the Deputy Project Director at the Silvertown Tunnel working for BAM as part of The Riverlinx CJV (Construction Joint Venture).
The joint venture partners BAM, Ferrovial Construction and SK ecoplant have been working as Riverlinx on behalf of TfL to deliver the tunnel.
John has over 35 years’ experience delivering complex infrastructure often involving constructing underground spaces and tunnels in the UK and overseas. Prior to Silvertown John was running BAM’s Major Project business, which included Crossrail, London Underground Station Upgrades at Tottenham Court Road and Victoria, Thames Tideway, HS2, Cross River Rail (Brisbane) and Hinkley Point C.
