Emirates Air Line - usage by tourists

[Daz28]

For a trial period, residents of Newham and Greenwich boroughs can get a return for the price of a single, effectively half price.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/emirates-air-line#on-this-page-6

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Oh cool! I might have to take that up! (I'm a Greenwich resident and haven't been on it yet).

 

[BigVince76]

For a trial period, residents of Newham and Greenwich boroughs can get a return for the price of a single, effectively half price.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/emirates-air-line#on-this-page-6

Awww nuts, I live about 20m from the Greenwich border in Lewisham!

 

[burneside]

So we have ended up with just what many people predicted, a white elephant tourist ride subsidised by the taxpayer.

 

[Abpj17]

How is it getting subsidised by the taxpayer?

TfL is 90% fare funded, so any taxpayer contribution would be relatively small versus the TfL fare payer subsidy....

 

[burneside]

How is it getting subsidised by the taxpayer?

TfL is 90% fare funded, so any taxpayer contribution would be relatively small versus the TfL fare payer subsidy....

Whichever way you look at it, the dangleway is being subsidised by the taxpayer.

 

[WatcherZero]

How is it getting subsidised by the taxpayer?

TfL is 90% fare funded, so any taxpayer contribution would be relatively small versus the TfL fare payer subsidy....

Its actually around 45% fare and local tax funded according to last years accounts, 43% of funding comes from Whitehall and the rest is other income like property income, 3rd party contributions and advertising.

 

[Wolfie]

For a trial period, residents of Newham and Greenwich boroughs can get a return for the price of a single, effectively half price.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/emirates-air-line#on-this-page-6

Interesting and just possibly of highly questionable legality. Given that all London Council taxpayers pay for tfl why should those who live in certain boroughs be singled out?

 

[Antman]

I took my 8 year old granddaughter on it recently and she loved it, so much so that when she got home she told her younger sister all about it and now I've got to take her on it.

I was surprised how busy it was at about midday on a Monday although most users appeared to be tourists.

 

[Daz28]

Interesting and just possibly of highly questionable legality. Given that all London Council taxpayers pay for tfl why should those who live in certain boroughs be singled out?

Presumably the same logic why local residents get a huge discount on the Dartford Crossing?

 

[Busaholic]

Interesting and just possibly of highly questionable legality. Given that all London Council taxpayers pay for tfl why should those who live in certain boroughs be singled out?

When the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich started charging admission fees in the 1980s, the first of the national museums to do so, residents of the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham were still granted free admission, so precedents exist.

 

[Butts]

When the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich started charging admission fees in the 1980s, the first of the national museums to do so, residents of the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham were still granted free admission, so precedents exist.

It should be free to visitors from Scotland (The cable car)

National Maritime Museum is Free now is it not ?

 

[jon0844]

Presumably the same logic why local residents get a huge discount on the Dartford Crossing?

Isn't today the day it goes up in price, as well as starting to generate a small fortune in penalties for the many that will forget to pay on time, or altogether?

What a lucrative contract for something full paid for and where we were once told the toll would go completely.

 

[Clip]

It should be free to visitors from Scotland (The cable car)

Should charge them double

 

[Busaholic]

It should be free to visitors from Scotland (The cable car)

National Maritime Museum is Free now is it not ?

Yes, the one in Greenwich is but not its outpost in Falmouth,Cornwall. The various Tate Galleries around the country also have free admission with the exception of the St Ives, Cornwall branch. Cornwall has the lowest wages of anywhere in England. Go figure!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Isn't today the day it goes up in price, as well as starting to generate a small fortune in penalties for the many that will forget to pay on time, or altogether?

What a lucrative contract for something full paid for and where we were once told the toll would go completely.

And North Sea oil would mean we'd all be lying on hammocks being tempted with morsels from handmaidens (or handjocks, according to your predilictions)..
Still working, aged 66

 

[Butts]

Yes, the one in Greenwich is but not its outpost in Falmouth,Cornwall. The various Tate Galleries around the country also have free admission with the exception of the St Ives, Cornwall branch. Cornwall has the lowest wages of anywhere in England. Go figure!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Probably due to the number of "White Settlers" with Holiday Homes

The National Maritime Museum in Aberdeen is Free !!!

 

[WatcherZero]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ss-the-thames-in-a-60m-cable-car-9936981.html

Update on usage, survey of Oyster card usage showed the number of commuters (using it more than 5 times in one week and so qualifying for regular user discount) had fallen from 16 to 4 to 0 last October though Tfl say there is one commuter but he uses paper tickets rather than a Oyster card.

 

[burneside]

A bit off-topic, but I am surprised there has been no mention of the latest folly in which Boris is involved - the Garden Bridge. Just like the cable car, this was proposed to be wholly funded by private finance, but - if built - will drain £30 million from TfL's budget, and a further £30m from general taxation.

From http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/boris-gives-garden-bridge-final-go-ahead/


Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the bridge was originally meant to be built without public funding but Mayor Johnson later ordered Transport for London to contribute £30m to the project.

A further £30m has been pledged by the UK Government with the balance of the estimated £175m costs to be raised from private donations.

Despite receiving taxpayer funding the bridge will be classed as private space the public will have no guaranteed access right to use it. Groups of more than 8 people will need to request permission to cross it together.

In addition, the bridge will be closed at night and the Garden Bridge Trust, which will own the bridge, say cycles will be banned from crossing it.

So the taxpayer is going to fleeced for yet another vanity project.

 

[jon0844]

Tfl say there is one commuter but he uses paper tickets rather than a Oyster card.

This is so funny!

 

[Busaholic]

A bit off-topic, but I am surprised there has been no mention of the latest folly in which Boris is involved - the Garden Bridge. Just like the cable car, this was proposed to be wholly funded by private finance, but - if built - will drain £30 million from TfL's budget, and a further £30m from general taxation.

From http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/boris-gives-garden-bridge-final-go-ahead/


Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the bridge was originally meant to be built without public funding but Mayor Johnson later ordered Transport for London to contribute £30m to the project.

A further £30m has been pledged by the UK Government with the balance of the estimated £175m costs to be raised from private donations.

Despite receiving taxpayer funding the bridge will be classed as private space the public will have no guaranteed access right to use it. Groups of more than 8 people will need to request permission to cross it together.

In addition, the bridge will be closed at night and the Garden Bridge Trust, which will own the bridge, say cycles will be banned from crossing it.

So the taxpayer is going to fleeced for yet another vanity project.

Note the name of the designer. Once again Boris Johnson is using public money for his patronage, and also avoiding any flak in opposing a pet project of Joanna Lumley's.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I travelled on this on Tuesday, and was surprised at the number that were there at the same time.

I crossed from North (Royal Victoria Dock) to South (Greenwich Peninsula) at around 11.00am, and there must have been around thirty to forty people in the queue. On arrival at the other side, there was probably a similar number waiting to cross from the South, although how many of them were on a one way trip (like me), I couldn't say.

Here's the rub, though .... I'd say that 100% of the people I saw at both ends were tourists. Now this is fine if it can be sustained, but can it? From a very brief look around both the north and south areas, there doesn't seem to be too many large businesses immediately near to either terminal, although there are quite a few a short distance away (i.e. Canary Wharf etc.).

I decided to make the crossing before I saw this thread because I like travelling on this form of transport. However, having done it, I'm not planning on doing it again - unless I go from South to North en route to somewhere else, that is. If you like this sort of thing, I'd recommend it!

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Offhand I can't see any reason why non-tourists would use the line regularly, when the journey can be made reasonably conveniently and considerably more cheaply via Canning Town on the Jubilee line/DLR. Indeed almost all people arriving at North Greenwich will already be on the Jubilee line or will be arriving at the bus station - from where I believe the walk to the Jubilee line is shorter than the walk to the cable car, making the cable car both more expensive and arguably less convenient. So really the only reason to use the cable car is for the nice view - or you're cycling and want to take a cycle across the river with you - since you can do that in the cable car but not in the Jubilee line.

For commuters or regular travellers, I'd imagine that once you've seen the view a few times, the attraction of it will quickly wear off. So it doesn't seem very surprising to me that almost the only people using it are tourists.

 

[Deerfold]

Offhand I can't see any reason why non-tourists would use the line regularly, when the journey can be made reasonably conveniently and considerably more cheaply via Canning Town on the Jubilee line/DLR. Indeed almost all people arriving at North Greenwich will already be on the Jubilee line or will be arriving at the bus station - from where I believe the walk to the Jubilee line is shorter than the walk to the cable car, making the cable car both more expensive and arguably less convenient. So really the only reason to use the cable car is for the nice view - or you're cycling and want to take a cycle across the river with you - since you can do that in the cable car but not in the Jubilee line.

For commuters or regular travellers, I'd imagine that once you've seen the view a few times, the attraction of it will quickly wear off. So it doesn't seem very surprising to me that almost the only people using it are tourists.

I can see some doing it, but only if it was brought within the travelcard.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I have received this message today:

"I am writing to let you know that Emirates Air Line will be closed for a week from Monday 16 March for planned maintenance and will reopen on Monday 23 March.

This closure allows us to carry out essential maintenance, to ensure continuing service reliability and safety. By carrying out this work now, we avoid the need for further planned closures this year."

It was signed by Danny Price, Head of Emirates Air Line.

 

[MCR247]

I'd hate to be on any alternative routes during the morning peak with all those extra passengers

 

[jon0844]

Can't they put on a taxi for the passenger affected?

 

[Deerfold]

I have received this message today:

"I am writing to let you know that Emirates Air Line will be closed for a week from Monday 16 March for planned maintenance and will reopen on Monday 23 March.

This closure allows us to carry out essential maintenance, to ensure continuing service reliability and safety. By carrying out this work now, we avoid the need for further planned closures this year."

It was signed by Danny Price, Head of Emirates Air Line.

This is an annual occurance.

 

[jon0844]

This is an annual occurance.

Nobody would have noticed if they'd kept quiet...

 

[Busaholic]

Can't they put on a taxi for the passenger affected?

Surely a helicopter would be needed?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I have received this message today:

"I am writing to let you know that Emirates Air Line will be closed for a week from Monday 16 March for planned maintenance and will reopen on Monday 23 March.

This closure allows us to carry out essential maintenance, to ensure continuing service reliability and safety. By carrying out this work now, we avoid the need for further planned closures this year."

It was signed by Danny Price, Head of Emirates Air Line.

Service suspended, then?