Thames 'could provide whole new transport system'

Date: 7/1/2010

A whole new transport system could be created on the River Thames, according to a new report from think tank Policy Exchange.

The river could act as a new water-borne Tube line in less than three years and at a cost of less than £30 million, the report suggested.

Such a system would take the pressure off London's transport network and would cost less than other TfL projects such as the DLR and East London line extensions.

The report's findings were welcomed by London mayor Boris Johnson, who stated: "With the right mixture of investment and imagination river services can become a truly integral part of our transport network."

Proposals in the report include creating a system integrating 20 piers along the river, enabling 12 million people a year to use the river as a method of transport.

The river is already proving an alternative transport option for Londoners, with passenger numbers on river services increasing by 11 per cent between 2008 and 2009, according to City Hall statistics.

Contributors to the report include Zac Goldsmith, Justine Greening MP and the mayor's advisor on transport Kulveer Ranger.