Thames cable cars running at 10 per cent of capacity

 
Tony Bassett17 October 2012

The number of passengers using the cable-car link across the Thames has plummeted since the Olympics.

The £60 million Emirates Air Line between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks was opened on June 28 by Mayor Boris Johnson, who said it provided “a much needed river crossing”.

But it emerged today that the link, which was built to convey up to 2,500 passengers an hour, is now running at less than 10 per cent of capacity

Figures obtained from a Freedom of Information request show that an average of 229 passengers an hour used the cable cars on September 10 — the day after the Paralympics ended.

An average of 1,747 people an hour used the service for the last three days of the Olympics compared with 711 for the three days after the Olympics.

The last three days of the Paralympics saw an average 1,181 passengers an hour compared with 246 for the next three weekdays.

The figures were published by the News Shopper.

TfL's Head of the Emirates Air Line, Danny Price, said: "Since opening the Emirates Air Line has already exceeded the estimated target of carrying 1.3 million passengers for the first financial year (March 2013).

"It played a key role in transporting passengers between two London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic venues during the summer with opening hours extended to 23:30.

"Now the London 2012 Games are over opening hours have gone back to normal and the latest weekly passengers numbers are in line with our forecast for business as usual in the first year of operation.

"As with all new transport links, the number of regular users builds over a period of time as people become familiar with new journey possibilities for both work and pleasure.

"Following the exceptional Games period TfL will be raising the profile of the Emirates Air Line, particularly in the local boroughs where people benefit most from the opportunities it provides."

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