Mayor of London Boris Johnson opens The Emirates Air Line cable car at North Greenwich. It is the first cable car in London.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson today opened a new cable car service which will cross the Thames to connect two East London communities.

View from The Emirates Air Line cable car.

The £45m project connects Greenwich Peninsula with the Royal Docks. The 34 cars have the capacity to carry 2,500 passengers per hour in each direction.

Mr Johnson claimed the cable cars were “worth every penny”, and that they would prove to be an invaluable addition to East London’s transport network.

He said: “This is a stunning piece of engineering which links up two growth areas of London.

“It’s a simply beautiful way to travel, and it’s incredibly affordable. It will drive regeneration in this part of London, and help bring growth and jobs to the area.”

The cable along which the cars travel spans a total of 1,100 metres, supported by three 90 metre towers.

The project was funded through a £36m sponsorhip deal with Emirates Airline, with a further £8m in EU funding, and £1m from Transport for London.

President of Emirates Airline, said: “This is one of the great London icons, which everybody has to come and see. It reflects Emirates’ philosophy of connecting people through exciting, innovative and shared experiences, and will provide residents, commuters and visitors alike with a unique perspective of London.”

Passengers will be able to use their Oyster cards to access the service, at a cost of £3.20 for a single. Those without Oyster cards will be charged £4.30 each way.

Imraan Sakhar, from the East India Docks, made the trip to the opening after watching the structure take shape over the last year, and was impressed with the results.

The 27-year-old said: “The views were really cool up there, and it’s a comfortable way to travel, I don’t think the cost of it really matters - I know there are plans for development in the area in the future, so I’m sure it will be well-used in the future.”