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January 2013 Reprinted from ELEVATOR WORLD
Project
Year
of
the
2013
Automated People Movers
9
Category
E
mirates Air Line is the U.K.’s first urban cable car. It provides a low-emission, direct
and accessible link across the Thames River, traveling between two new terminals,
Emirates Greenwich Peninsula and Emirates Royal Docks. It was completed in June
2012 and erected prior to the 2012 London Olympic Games. It sits amongst some of Lon-
don’s most popular buildings, including Canary Wharf, The Gherkin, Tower 42, The Heron
Tower, The BT Tower and the recently completed, The Shard. The latter was also con-
structed by MACE, the contractor of Emirates Air Line.
Analysts considered all options for a transportation system including a bridge, water-
based transportation and a tunnel. The cable car was selected as the preferred option for
a number of reasons, including cost, program and aesthetics. The system endured several
engineering challenges, including a short allotted timeframe.
The system consists of 34 cabins, each with a carrying capacity of 10 passengers. It can
operate at speeds up to 6 mps and, at that speed, takes 4 min., 14 s. to complete a one-way
crossing. It is capable of transporting 2,500 people per hour, a significant number, espe-
cially during the Olympic Games. It also provides a major new passenger route from the
O
2
Arena on the south side of the Thames River to the north side just west of ExCeL Lon-
don, a major exhibition center.
East London Cable Car,
London, U.K.
submitted by David Cooper, LECS (UK) Ltd.
