Commuters stay underground as high-flyers shun cable cars
ONE of London’s great white elephant projects – the Emirates Air Line cable cars – was used by just four regular commuters in the week from Saturday 13 October.
With a maximum capacity of 2,500 people an hour, the link between the O2 in Greenwich and the ExCel centre at the Royal Docks operates well below its limit.
The data comes from a Freedom of Information request which shows that only four Oyster cardholders took more than five trips in that week, as first reported by The Scoop. Taking more than five journeys triggers a regular commuter discount.
Despite the cars being sponsored in a deal that’s worth £36m over 10 years, the cable car link is now estimated to have cost £60m.
Transport for London say that since its opening in June 2012 “the Emirates Air Line has carried nearly 3m people”.