Annual Emirates Air Line cable car maintenance to take place next week

05 March 2018
Cable car will be closed from Monday 12 to Sunday 18 March for essential maintenance work
"Our planned maintenance week ensures that we can continue to run a safe and reliable service for all of our customers. We apologise for any disruption this causes. However, by carrying out all this vital work now, we will not require any further planned closures this year"
Dave Fisher
TfL's Head of the Emirates Air Line

The Emirates Air Line's annual planned maintenance work will take place next week, ensuring the highest standards of safety on the cable car are maintained for the thousands of people who use it each week.

The cable car will need to close for a week, from Monday 12 to Sunday 18 March 2018, for this essential work which is required by all cable car systems around the world.

As in previous years, the work will be carried out by operator Mace Macro with assistance from Doppelmayr, who built the cable car system and have since been involved in the operations and maintenance.

This year, the rollers on top of the Emirates Air Line's two north side towers, which are responsible for moving the cable, will be replaced. Each roller weighs around 50 kilograms, with the towers containing between 6 and 72 rollers.

The maintenance will include replacing the liners on the inside of the rollers and individually exchanging them at the top of each tower, 280ft above the ground.

The hydraulic and braking systems at both the north and south terminals will be serviced, along with electrical equipment in each of the cabins.

Lift maintenance will also be carried out to ensure the Emirates Air Line remains fully accessible for all passengers.

Dave Fisher, TfL's Head of the Emirates Air Line, said: 'Since opening in 2012, more than nine million passengers have enjoyed a unique and spectacular ride on the UK's first urban cable car, including over 1.4 million passengers in the last year alone.

'Our planned maintenance week ensures that we can continue to run a safe and reliable service for all of our customers. We apologise for any disruption this causes.

'However, by carrying out all this vital work now, we will not require any further planned closures this year.'

While the closure is in place, the nearest alternative public transport is North Greenwich Tube station for the Jubilee line on the south side of the river and Royal Victoria DLR station on the north side.

Both are a short walk away from the Emirates Air Line. River services operate from North Greenwich Pier next to the Emirates Greenwich Peninsula terminal. Bus services are also available from North Greenwich bus station and Royal Victoria.

Notes to editors