London’s first Water Chariot barges in to transport visitors to the Olympic Park
The first Water Chariot waterbus has been unveiled in Limehouse Basin, east London, ready to start testing a new waterway bus route transporting passengers to the Olympic Park.
The barge, one of an expected fleet of 26 water-buses, will ferry passengers from Limehouse Basin to Old Ford Lock on the River Lee Navigation, at the western entrance to the Olympic Park. There are also plans for the water-buses to operate from Tottenham Hale as demand grows for the service to the Olympic Park from this area.
Mark Blackwell, British Waterways’ project manager said: “It’s fantastic to see the first waterbus arrive at Limehouse Basin today. The canals and rivers of East London provide a perfect route to the Olympic Park. We hope that more activity on the waterways will ensure a long term legacy for the area, with more people discovering and enjoying the canals and rivers that connect different communities within the capital.”
The waterbus route has been made possible following investment of £300,000 by British Waterways, London Thames Gateway Development Corporation and the Olympic Delivery Authority. The journey, with stops at Limehouse Basin, Three Mills Island in Bromley-by-Bow and Old Ford Lock on the edge of the Olympic Park, will take visitors 35 minutes.
The Olympic waterbus service is a privately operated business, known as Water Chariots, managed by Peter Coleman.
Peter explains: “Travelling to the Olympic Park by barge will be a wonderful experience. At 4mph it’s never going to be the fastest route, but it’s full of character and interest.
“We’ve had a lot of interest from businesses and individuals alike, and with that in mind during 2012 we’ll be offering a hop-on hop-off service for the public, and a charter service for corporates.”
During 2011 the Water Chariots team will be running a series of trials to help shape the design and interior of the rest of the fleet, train new staff, develop the route and finalise a timetable, ready for 2012.
John Middleton at the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation said: “Revealing east London’s waterways has been like recovering buried treasure, but it’s now proving really helpful in stimulating further high quality waterside development. This waterbus route will help generate interest from both businesses and visitors alike making east London a place to come to rather than pass through. Readily accessible waterways combined with superb public spaces will help us secure more restaurants, shops, cafes and other amenities by the water side, creating a new Camden of the east.”
Each waterbus can carry approximately 70 passengers, and the public can register their interest for both chartered cruises during 2011 and Games time journeys now.
Hugh Sumner, Director of Transport, Olympic Delivery Authority, said: “Visitors from all over the world will be coming to London to enjoy the Games, so it’s fantastic that these waterway routes that link east London to the Olympic Park are being regenerated and revitalised ahead of 2012. It will be great to see people arrive by water.”
