Have you ever used the Emirates Air Line? No, us neither. Boris introduced the cable car in 2012 and it has totally flopped. Sadiq Khan wanted to dump it completely, dubbing it an “expensive vanity project”, but TfL have had a better idea…
In an attempt to revive the somewhat suffering transport link, which connects the Royal Docks to Greenwich Peninsula, transport bosses have applied for a licence to serve alcohol on the cable car. If the plans go ahead, the Emirates Air Line will be able to serve champagne between 10am and 1.30am. It will also give them permission to host karaoke and live music events at the Southern terminal, next to the O2. We’ll cheers to that!
Since its launch in 2012, the Air Line has struggled to get nearly as many passengers as it originally hoped. It’s used by just 4,000 a day, despite having the capacity to carry 2,500 people an hour. New plans to make the trip a boozier one will undoubtedly attract more passengers — because who wouldn’t want to spend 10 minutes 300ft above the ground sipping a glass of champagne?
Concerns have obviously been raised about security and safety, and critics and local residents are worried about it becoming “a nightclub in the sky”. Head of the Air Line, Danny Price, acknowledges these concerns and promises that everything will be kept under strict, controlled conditions. We’ll see about that, shall we?
Feature image: O2