London SE1 > News & Features > November 2000

Ferry bad news

White Horse Fast Ferries, the riverbus company whose central London service was launched during a visit by John Prescott to Bankside, has ceased operations.

However, those living and working on Bankside had little chance of enjoying the service since the daily Central London Fast Ferry was withdrawn last December and replaced with a weekday peak hours service which bypassed Bankside Pier.

Despite a plan to restore the full service in time for the opening of Tate Modern, White Horse this summer offered only a shuttle from Bankside to the London Eye for �4.90 return. Previously an Embankment to Canary Wharf single was �1.90.

White Horse's problems were heightened by low passenger numbers on its Greenwich-Dome shuttle service, leading to the withdrawal of all its London services this autumn. Contrary to media reports, the City Cruises service from Waterloo and Blackfriars to the Dome is unaffected.

Bankside Residents' Forum is investigating the future of the multi- million pound Bankside Pier and asking Transport for London and the GLA about a replacement service.