Following our successful campaign to get fairer treatment for riverboat users, Oyster cards will now be accepted on the Thames Clipper and the service from The O2 to Woolwich Arsenal has been secured until 2013.
Oyster card
During our campaign, a petition containing more than 1,000 signatures of local people was delivered to the Mayor of London, calling on him to:
- install Oystercard equipment on riverboat services
- increase the subsidy for the Thames Clipper service
- introduce a 10-minute walk-on service.
Transport for London has now confirmed that Oyster cards are accepted on the Thames Clipper riverboat service from Monday 23 November.
Pay-as-you-go Oyster card users will be entitled to a 10 per cent reduction on regular fares, and passengers using a Travelcard (Oyster or paper version) will receive a 33 per cent discount on single adult fares.
Greenwich to Woolwich Arsenal service
A second key aim of the campaign was to secure the future of the Greenwich to Woolwich service. This was achieved last month following an agreement between the Council, Transport for London and the Thames Clipper operators, AEG.
Transport for London (TfL) and the Council will continue to subsidise the Thames Clipper service between The O2 and Woolwich Arsenal, and this funding means the service between The O2 and Woolwich Arsenal will continue until 2013.
Commitment to improved transport links
Deputy Council Leader, Peter Brooks said: "This is tremendous news and we are delighted that the Mayor of London has accepted our call for boat passengers to be treated fairly.
"The hundreds of local people who backed our campaign recognised that boat passengers should be entitled to the convenience and fare reductions that they already enjoy when using their Oystercard on buses, tube trains and DLR.
"This is a further example of Greenwich Council’s commitment to fight for improved public transport links, which bring long-term benefit to the local economy, and which are vital to the borough’s ongoing regeneration."
Information on Oyster cards on Transport for London website
Find out more about the Thames Clipper service