The best commute in London?
Imagine a mode of transport in London on which you can get a coffee in the morning, glass of wine in the evening, has free wifi & phone signal and clean, fresh air. A thing of fantasy? It might be closer than you realise....
Little known beyond the riverside neighbourhoods it serves, the Thames Clipper river-bus service has, until recently, been the white elephant of the TfL network. Unlike the more well-known but lesser-used cable car, the Thames Clipper commuter routes are actually very well linked with piers at strategic points along the Thames from Woolwich to Waterloo including Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge and the O2.
So why has this not previously taken off as a viable commuter option?
The problem this service historically had, was the prohibitive cost of single fares and season tickets. Too expensive to be a regular commuting option for most people, the service was largely used as a cheap family river trip save for a few lucky commuters with deep pockets.
UberBoats Takeover
As the saying goes "...if Carling did commuting...etc". Sadly Carling don't do commuting, but Uber do and - love them or hate them - they know a thing or two about transport.
In August 2020, UberBoats took over Thames Clippers and made some significant changes. Not least, they reduced the cost of the service, making it a genuine option for commuters. A single fare now costs £3.60, however with a season ticket, this can be as low as £1.70 per journey. There are Oyster Card readers on the piers and regular timetabled services.
What's more, each vessel has free wifi as well as an onboard licensed café, meaning you really can relax with a glass of something after a hard days work. In addition the fresh air and views on offer beat sitting in a hot metal tube hands down.
Where can it take me?
This service is particularly useful for residents of Rotherhithe and Greenwich commuting to Canary Wharf, with over 50% of the SE16 and SE10 postcode areas lying less than a 15 minute stroll of a pier (Greenland, Hilton, Greenwich & North Greenwich) and the Canary Wharf Pier being just a 7 minute stroll of Canada Square itself. The commuter services also run as far as the London Eye with piers at London Bridge, Bankside and Embankment amongst others.
How can I take advantage of this great commuter option?
The areas around Surrey Quays and North Greenwich are relatively affordable for first time buyers with plenty of one and two bedroomed properties within a stone's throw of the piers.
A great example is this two bedroom duplex apartment in Princes Court. Listed exclusively with Oliver Jaques for just £600,000, it enjoys river views and a roof terrace and the best thing? It's literally adjacent to the Greenland Pier, meaning you can roll out of bed in the morning and have that fresh river breeze in your face moments later!
For further information, contact Oliver Jaques directly on 020 7231 5050 or southeast@o-j.co.uk
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For more information UberBoats, see https://www.uber.com/gb/en/u/uberboat/