New service for river commuters

The new catamaran may woo commuters on to the river

The fastest ferry to operate on the River Thames starts its service next week, promising an alternative for London commuters fed up with overcrowded tube trains and buses.

The new catamaran, the Hurricane Clipper, can seat 220 people and travel at 31mph.

It joins two 62-seaters, Sky Clipper and Storm Clipper, operated by Thames Clippers which began a dedicated river commuter service in May 1999.

The new boat is expected to cut the current 23-minute journey time from Canary Wharf to Savoy Pier by one minute.

Travel discount

The company claims that the advanced hull design of the new vessel enables her to create minimum wash, despite the high speed.

The two existing ferries have completed over 226,000 passenger journeys, since the service began.

During the London tube strikes in 2001 they carried an additional 4,000 passengers a day by running a non-stop service from 0600 until 2330.

London Transport has integrated the commuter river service in the London Travelcard by offering a discount of 33% on Thames Clipper river commuter routes.