TfL river plans: Rebuilt Greenwich pier with shops + pier at Thamesmead

TfL have launched a river pier strategy looking at possible sites for future Thames Clipper stops in the east and south east of London.

New piers included in the report are at Thamesmead, Charlton, Erith/Slade Green and Barking. The document also lists Royal Docks as a proposed pier – though it opened last month after a number of delays.

That’s a pretty big oversight.

Another proposed pier is also located on the east side of Canary Wharf.

A pier on the west side of Greenwich Peninsula is not mentioned despite one already being submitted for planning approval and covered here which looks to provide:

“Conversion of pier for riverboat passenger services involving alterations and extension of existing pier including additional link bridge, single storey restaurant, bar, cafe and toilet together with new brow, pontoon, piles and associated works”.

Another is proposed at Morden Wharf or Enderby Wharf to serve thousands of new homes.

All these new piers raise the question of just how quick any service would be. Journey times can already be quite leisurely.

Charlton’s pier would serve 8,000 homes. Housing figures at the Charlton riverside masterplan look like being bumped up from 7,500 to 8,000 before a single homes has started according to planning documents which reference revised housing targets.

Current piers

The report also touches on current piers and redevelopment. One such pier is at Greenwich. The report states shops could be built on a new pier:

A redevelopment pier at this site could be bigger, offer a better customer experience, generate income to reinvest and be a fitted gateway to the Maritime World Heritage Site.

To be able to achieve the desired development the new pier will need to include commercial elements such as retail units. Previous discussions have seen broad stakeholder support.

Passengers

There are currently 10 million passengers journeys a year which is half the target level of 20 million by 2035. Overall numbers fell in 2017/18 in part due to Woolwich ferry and tour declines. Thames Clippers was stable.

Numbers should rise for Thames Clippers with a new stop serving over 3,000 homes at Royal Wharf and towers rising by Woolwich pier, as well as others beside North Greenwich.

After scrapping plans for a cycle and pedestrian bridge between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf the report mentions a replacement ferry. It then states:

“Options include new or improved piers at Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf,
together with roll-on, roll-off electric or hybrid high frequency ferries to reduce
waiting times.”

Let’s hope they are more reliable than the new Woolwich ferry which has seen vast problems since introduction.

The report is here.

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