By
Alex Smith |
The first branded Uber Boat by Thames Clippers vessel has set sail on the River Thames in London, UK, marking the start of the partnership between the companies.
A fleet of 20 boats will operate on the River Thames, departing from 23 piers across London. Uber is rolling out the service on its app, allowing users to purchase tickets in advance with their Uber account details and use QR technology to board.
“As Londoners begin to head back to work and safely move across the city, they will now be able to travel on both the river and road through the Uber app,” said Jamie Heywood, regional general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe at Uber. “We must ensure that everyone does not return to their cars in response to the crisis, so our vision is to end private car ownership in favour of shared, electric vehicles, as well as making greater use of the river network for urban mobility.”
Over 4.3 million people use the River Thames for commuting and leisure trips a year on the Thames Clippers network. The operator resumed service in June following a temporary pause cause by the Covid-19 pandemic, with all journeys now fully contactless and all passengers required to use face coverings.
“We’re excited that in this new world we are able to offer a new way of travelling through the capital by enabling multi-modal transport with a continued focus on great customer experience,” said Sean Collins, co-founder and CEO of Thames Clippers. “This partnership reflects the resurgence of the river and we’re looking forward to welcoming new passengers onboard to enjoy the unique benefits of navigating London safely by taking to the Thames.”