London Cable Car Scheme

TRANSPORT of a new variety will be touching down in London next summer with the recent start of a £60m construction of London’s first ever cable car scheme. The line, due to be complete next summer, will link the O2 Arena in Greenwich and the ExCel Centre, with a series of high towers plotting the 1100m cable over the River Thames. The towers, the highest being 110m, is all part of a Transport For London (TFL) initiative to continue in the regeneration of east London ahead of the Olympics next year.

“Gliding serenely through the air across the Thames will provide a truly sublime, bird's eye view of our wonderful city. This innovative airborne travel link will be a vital component in the on-going renaissance of a vibrant easterly quarter of the Capital, providing a much-needed river crossing.”

London Mayor Boris Johnson said, “Gliding serenely through the air across the Thames will provide a truly sublime, bird's eye view of our wonderful city. This innovative airborne travel link will be a vital component in the on-going renaissance of a vibrant easterly quarter of the Capital, providing a much-needed river crossing.”

This hasn’t stopped the project being shrouded in controversy, however, with many questioning the £60m price tag – potentially the most expensive cable car system ever built – which will come with 34 gondolas, each with a ten person capacity, carrying up to 2,500 pedestrians and cyclists an hour.

A huge chunk of public money – up to £16m – is to be used for a project which some people claim isn’t even needed. But Boris insists that, “revenues will come to TFL, TFL to us from the fares, so there will be an income stream there and there’s further sponsorship and commercial opportunities, it’s a very sound commercial proposition for London.”

Fly Emirates have already signed a ten-year deal with TFL worth £36m. A link to a video designed by Wagstaff shows exactly how the project will look once finished.

Helicopters will be assisting in erecting the towers along the 1.1km stretch providing a whole new dimension to London’s stunning skyline.

The scheme will be part of the Oyster Card system with the fares still to be decided upon.

Images by Wagstaff