Transport for London (TfL) in UK, contracting authority for the Silvertown tunnel project has been legally suspended from awarding and signing a contract for the project to the Riverlinx consortium due to rival bidders claim filled with the construction court.

The Riverlinx consortium consists of Aberdeen Standard Investments, BAM PPP PGGM, Cintra, Macquarie Capital and SK Engineering & Construction (SK E&C).

The consortium was selected as the preferred bidder for the development of a new river crossing between Silvertown and Greenwich Peninsula in east London which was supposed to open in 2025.

The contract was due to be signed this summer with the works starting later this year.

The rival bidder who filled the claim is STC which includes Hochief and Dragadios.

The TfL commented: "We are disappointed that our reserve bidder, STC, has decided to challenge the outcome of our procurement process for the design, build, finance and maintain a contract for the Silvertown Tunnel. We are awaiting further details about the claim and will respond to them in due course."

The filling of the claim with the court results in the automatic suspension of the award procedures.

TfL is expecting to award the project and begin the construction as soon as possible.