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East east east Londoners (okay, Essex-ers), rejoice! You might be getting a new route into London, and this one’s down the mighty river Thames. There are plans to launch a new Uber Boat journey that zips down the waterways from Tilbury and Gravesend right into central London.
There’s currently an Uber Boat running from Barking Riverside on the Essex border that goes via The O2, Canary Wharf and Tower Pier. It’s been a huge success since it opened in April this year. But Sean Collins, the chief executive of Thames Clippers, the boat company that runs Uber Boat, told Essex Live that they’re planning a new service that goes further into Essex and Kent.
Plans are still in the ‘development stage’ and we’re not sure when exactly this would come about. The new riverbus route has however been running a trial on Saturdays that is oversubscribed, so the appetite is definitely there. On the trial service it currently takes 40 minutes to reach Greenwich from Gravesend, and an hour to get to London bridge, which isn't too shabby. It also goes past some iconic London landmarks like the Thames Barrier, the Old Royal Naval College Greenwich and Tower Bridge.
Collins said: ‘Ultimately, it will be a regular route – an "RB" – we just need a little bit more of residential development to take place and we're there.’
If it happens, this will be the first Home Counties river-based regular commuter service. It's also expected to bring a considerable tourism boost to the towns on the outskirts of the city. So get ready to commute in style, and don't forget to smugly wave to the traffic as you sail past.
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