Emirates Air Line - reduced fares for Greenwich and Newham residents

Residents from the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Newham will receive a reduced travel rate on the Emirates Air Line - the UK's first urban cable car which spans the River Thames and connects the two boroughs.

From Friday 14 February until the end of 2014, passengers from the two boroughs who produce proof of residence will receive a 50 per cent reduction on return fares.

The offer will apply to both cash fares and pay as you go Oyster fares, meaning adults can travel on the Emirates Air Line for just £3.30 return and children return for just £1.70.

A family of four, two adults and two children can make a return trip for £10 with Oyster. Residents will be able to bring up to three guests with them who will also receive the discount.

The guests do not need to be local residents.

TfL's Head of the Emirates Air Line, Danny Price, said: `This is a great rate to encourage those living in Greenwich and Newham to use the Emirates Air Line on a regular basis, whether it is to cross the river for work or business, to get to the many leisure activities in the areas or just for the experience and fantastic views of the city.'

Passengers can enjoy spectacular views of the city including St Paul's Cathedral, the Gherkin, Thames Barrier, Maritime Greenwich and the Olympic Park as they fly 90 metres above the River Thames.  

In order to receive the discount, residents will be asked to produce proof of residence in the form of a letter or document, such as a council tax bill, dated in the last three months.

Greenwich residents may also receive the discount on production of a valid Greenwich Card.

The offer will be available for an initial trial period from 14 February until 31 December, excluding the Easter holiday (7 April to 21 April) and the months of July and August.

The Emirates Air Line was built to support current and future regeneration in east London and the balance between leisure users and regular users will change as this takes place.

The popularity among leisure users means the Emirates Air Line is covering its costs while encouraging people to visit Greenwich and the Royal Docks.

Regeneration of the area is already well under way as illustrated last year when the Mayor of London announced a £1.5bn deal with the Silvertown Partnership to transform Silvertown Quays in London's Royal Docks into an innovative new quarter that will be able to accommodate more than 1,500 new homes, restaurants, cafes, galleries and leisure facilities both on and off the water, making it a thriving destination for Londoners and visitors to live, work and enjoy. Work on the first phase of the site is expected to begin in 2014/15.

Passengers surveyed since the scheme opened have given the Emirates Air Line an average score of 93 out of 100, for both overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend the service to others.

Greenwich welcomed the arrival of the Emirates Aviation Experience last year located just next to the Emirates Greenwich Peninsula terminal. 

The Emirates Royal Docks terminal will see the world's oldest and only complete steamship - The SS Robin moored close by and open to visitors later this year.

Other exciting developments coming to the area include a new 452 room hotel next to The O2 with residential apartments in 2015.

All of this development will directly benefit from the convenient and direct river crossing the Emirates Air Line provides.

• A return with Oyster for an adult is £6.60, the return cash fare is £8.80. A child (aged 5 to 15) return with Oyster is £3.40. The return cash fare is £4.60.
• Passengers who make five pay as you go Oyster card journeys in a week pay just £1.60 per crossing. There is also the option to buy a multi journey pass which means 10 river crossings can be made at just £1.60 per journey