Popular tourist attraction to close for maintenance
The popular tourist attraction and commuter service will close from 18 March until 24 March 2013.
During this time, engineers will weight test each of the 34 cabins and fully inspect the sheave wheels that the cable passes through to make sure everything meets stringent health and safety regulations. Transport for London’s head of the Emirates Air Line, Danny Price, said that there will be no other planned closures for the rest of the year.
The city’s first urban cable car opened in Summer 2012 has carried over 1.9 million passengers and provides a much needed river crossing between the Royal Docks and the Greenwich Peninsula. With a journey time of just 5 minutes, up to 2500 can use the Emirates Air Line per hour in each direction – this is equivalent to 30 buses! It was one of a series of improvements to East London to transform the area into a hive of new business, entertainment and leisure facilities.
During the planned closure, the nearest alternative public transport will be North Greenwich Tube Station on the south side of the Emirates Air Line. Customers will also be able to access the Jubilee Line and Royal Victoria DLR station on the north side.