February this year marked a major milestone for Barking Riverside Pier, as it recorded its 100,000th passenger journey.

The river bus service has continued to prove popular since its launch in May 2022. The direct river connection has provided transformative travel times for the local community and visitors alike.

Currently the most eastern stop on the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers network, the pier has unlocked a section of the River Thames previously underutilised, as well as providing an essential link between the North and South of the River, with journeys from Barking Riverside to Woolwich Arsenal and the Elizabeth Line taking just 9 minutes. Connections from Woolwich to the Elizabeth Line mean passengers can reach the West End from Barking Riverside in approximately 38 minutes – a journey that previously took well over an hour.

Opportunities to enjoy leisure and culture in central London are now far more accessible for residents. Some of the capital’s renowned riverside hotspots –such as Greenwich Market, Embankment’s diverse food scene and the vibrant bars of Canary Wharf – are now available via a direct river bus connection from Barking Riverside. As well as connecting residents to the city’s leisure and culture scene, the pier has also enabled visitors to explore the Barking Riverside neighbourhood, generating footfall and viability for events hosted at Barking Riverside, as well as for the future commercial offer.

To celebrate this major milestone, Barking Riverside Ltd launched a promotion to give over 5,000 river bus tickets to people living in the Barking and Dagenham area, as well as a competition where local people could win one of 100 annual season tickets. This proved extremely popular, with both the give-away and the competition closing in the space of a few days.

Here are some testimonials from our residents, explaining in their own words why the Barking Riverside Pier has been so transformational:

“Thanks @barking_riverside and @thamesclippers for bringing the Barking Riverside Uber Boat pier. It has changed our life and is making our travels more enjoyable.”

“I have lived by the river in many cities, and this is the first place where I've been able to travel by the river-bus. Thank you for making this happen.”

“I never imagined commuting to work by boat and it only takes 20 minutes. I am living my best dream.”

We hope residents and local workers will maximise this opportunity to connect with the river when commuting or travelling for leisure.

For more information about our transport connections.