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Emirates Air Line, the UK’s first urban cable
car, has opened, giving residents and visitors alike a new way to
cross London’s River Thames.
Passengers can now travel up to 90 metres above one of the world’s most famous waterways, capturing
dramatic views of the City, Canary Wharf, historic Greenwich, the
Thames Barrier and the Olympic Park.
The new
river crossing in east London can be used by pedestrians,
wheelchair users and cyclists. Every 30 seconds, they can board
one of the 34 cabins from two brand new terminals, Emirates
Greenwich Peninsula and Emirates Royal Docks. A journey across the
1.1 kilometre cable line takes up to 10 minutes.
Emirates’ AED 204 million (£36m) sponsorship of
the cable car project was announced in October of last year in an agreement between the airline, the Mayor’s office and Transport
for London (TfL).
“The Emirates Air Line is a stunning
addition to London’s transport network, providing a much needed
new connection across the Thames,” said Mayor of London, Boris
Johnson. “I am sure the Emirates Air Line is now set to be a
must-see destination in its own right, giving people the chance to
drink in breath-taking panoramic views. Crucially, the Emirates
Air Line supports my ambitious plans to revive the neighbouring
areas, which have been neglected for decades, creating jobs for
Londoners and stimulating growth.”
The main construction of
the Emirates Air Line, led by Mace, has involved more than 1,500
people on sites both sides of the river, helping to deliver the
newest addition to the capital’s transport network. Mace Macro
will employ more than 50 people to operate the scheme.
“This is an historic day for the UK and a momentous day for
London,” said Peter Hendy CBE, London’s Transport Commissioner.
“The Emirates Air Line has been delivered in just two years, an
incredibly short amount of time for the capital’s newest mode of
transport to be up and running. The engineering achievements that
have been delivered have been no mean feat and I’m delighted to
have been on board for the first flight with the Mayor and
Emirates today.”
The Emirates Air Line knits into London’s
existing transport network providing an interchange with the
Jubilee line and Docklands Light Railway. It will be open seven
days a week and passengers can buy their boarding passes from
vending machines or the ticket offices at both Terminals.
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