Cable car plan revealed for London
A cable car is being planned for a Thames river crossing between the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks in London.
The proposals being developed by Transport for London (TfL) would provide a privately funded, fully accessible cable car for pedestrians and cyclists which would cut travel times between the O2 and ExCeL – two major Olympic and Paralympic venues.
The cable car would cross the river at a height of over 50 metres, similar to that of the Dome, offering spectacular aerial views of the Olympic Park.
It would take around five minutes to travel between the O2 and ExCeL.
The cable car could provide a crossing every 30 seconds carrying up to 2,500 passengers an hour in each direction, equivalent to the capacity of 50 buses an hour.
The scheme is being proposed in response to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson’s desire to increase the number of river crossings east of Tower Bridge.
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Passengers would be able to drink in the truly spectacular views of the Olympic Park and iconic London landmarks whilst shaving valuable minutes from their travelling time. It would also provide a much needed enhancement of cross river options to the east of the city.”
The aim is to fund the construction of the scheme entirely from private finance and discussions are ongoing with a number of private sector organisations that have expressed interest in the project. The Mayor has asked Transport for London (TfL) in collaboration with the London Development Agency (LDA) to run a public consultation on the proposal in order to understand local views on the idea.
Critics of the plan have said it will not help commuters, only tourists.
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