Uber Boat by Thames Clippers has launched an expansion of its River Bus services on the Thames, with the first passenger boat docking at Barking Riverside.
According to the provider, the Eastern section of the river is historically underserved with the new Barking Riverside Pier the most eastern stop on Uber Boat by Thames Clippers’ RB1 route.
The new service will provide direct travel times between central London and Barking Riverside, one of London’s largest new neighbourhoods. The service will run at peak hours Monday to Friday, and all-day during weekends, with a 20 to 30-minute frequency.
Additionally, the service will create a link between the north and south of the river, with journeys to Woolwich taking less than 10 minutes. Uber Boat said this promotes capital-wide connectivity, and will bridge a gap between Barking and Dagenham and new Crossrail services from Woolwich Station.
Matthew Carpen, managing director of Barking Riverside Limited, said: “This is a really important milestone, not just for the Barking Riverside development and its residents, but for London as a whole, as the city continues to move eastwards.
“This service will help commuters and families take advantage of much quicker connections into central London as well as introducing Barking Riverside, known for its wildlife and vibrant community, to the rest of London.”
While, the launch of the service was brought forward to 25th April there are further works to the pier and the land-side approach occurring over the next few weeks to complete the landscaping and finishing touches. The initial launch of the service had been specifically timed to support the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers’ summer timetable, with a formal launch event due to occur in the coming weeks once works are finalised.
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