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The morning commute in London can feel super tedious, especially if you live on one side of the river and work on the other. However, that could all change soon, thanks to new high-speed commuter ferries.
Currently, the options for cycling commuters who need to cross the Thames consist of hopping on the cable car – which is free for them to use during peak times – boarding Woolwich ferry or riding through Rotherhithe tunnel.
For pedestrians, it’s likely most opt for the busy Jubilee, DLR or Elizabeth lines for their route to work. However, Uber Boat by Thames Clipper, already a renowned river operator which has services running from 24 piers, is proposing a new cross-river commuter service.
From 2025, clippers could transport cyclists and pedestrians from Surrey Quays to Canary Wharf, with up to six services per hour during peak times. Apparently, the journey will only take two minutes, and likely cost £2 or £3.
This announcement comes after Thames Clippers launched the first of three new £7 million vessels. The 230-passenger hybrid boats will run on battery power in central London and on a biofuel-powered engine in the outskirts (such as in Putney or Barking Riverside) which enables them to move at higher speeds.
The Earth Clipper will be in operation from today (Tuesday, 12 September) and the Celestial and Mars Clippers will launch later this year and early next year, respectively.
The new clippers are apparently the first ‘green’ passenger boats in Europe and it’s thought that their introduction could slash Thames Clippers’ carbon emissions by an astounding 90 percent. The company is apparently aiming to operate at net-zero by 2040.
For Londoners, however, now you’ve got a new, faster way to getting down the Thames. All aboard the Earth Clipper!
Did you see that this east London borough is introducing a 20mph borough-wide speed limit?
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